While not all fish raised in aquaponic systems are intended to be eaten by humans, they’re pretty much all edible, if taste isn’t a consideration. There are plenty of delicious options that are specifically raised for food purposes, like tilapia, catfish and even crappies, but a few other options aren’t quite so tasty, like koi, tropical aquarium fish, and common goldfish. However, compared to what you might find in the local reservoir or your favorite fishing spot on the river, an aquaponic system is closed and carefully controlled, with no exposure to mercury, cadmium or other dangerous heavy metals, no pharmaceuticals passing into waterways from local treatment plants, and no untreated effluent from overtopped retention dams.
Most aquaponics products are eligible for organic certification, since the exposure to non-organic elements can be eliminated. Fish food is introduced by the system manager, and not many of those will choose to degrade their operation by using non-organic food from a questionable source. High quality aquaponics equipment uses food-grade materials in the parts that are in contact with the water, not just because it tends to be the sturdiest option. Protection from parasites, dangerous bacteria and impurities that plague most wild-caught or open-farmed fish is a valuable benefit. These fish are also raised in an ideal environment, with highly nutritious food and optimal water quality, so they produce filets that are exceptionally tasty as well as packed with nutrition. As long as you’re eating fish from a well-run aquaponics system, you should find that the fish are an ideal source of protein in your diet.
