farm raised VS fresh

[Rick]

the local super market had walley fillets. i love walleye so i bought some. they were farmed raised in canada. i diffinately prefer fresh caught. why is there so much difference in texture and taste. how do they raise the fish.. holy cow what a difference. 3 fillets equaled 2lbs. so they were not big fish.
never do that again. they were fresh though. buy the way they were at topps. 6.99 lb and the yellow perch were 8.99 lb what a rip off. What do they feed those fish

[Sage]

Taste bad?
Maybe they fed 'em trout?

[TONY ON ICE]

RICK
Don't believe for one second that those walleye and perch fillets ar farm raised in Canada !
They're a product of Russia, Estonia and the surrounding countries.
I'd be sceptical about eating them in the first place as the might still have contamination from Chernobyl (no joke) and other unregulated factories that have polluted Russian waterways for years, unchecked.
They're coming in through Canada because US regulations are much stricter as far as bring fish in from these countries.
Once it hits Canadian soil, the regulation are minimal (Politics ?)
The Walleye (European Zander) fillets can be bought wholesale for $3.00 per lb US and the perch (which are similar to our perch but grow to 5 lbs) can be purchased for $2.25 to $2.50 per lb US
Both fish have a much more bland flavor and the meat is a lttle darker.
The perch, when whole have much lighter markings that our perch and a slightly higher bump on their backs.

Another thing to look at is why would the Canadians sell supposed Canadian perch and walleyes so cheap when when our domestic Perch are bringing as much as $12.99 per lb of fillets in the midwest ?
Canadian fish buyers are paying as high as $2,50 per lb of whole yellow perch over 8 1/2 inches long but no less than $1.85 per lb.
With that expense, these processors would have between $5.20 and $6.00 a lb invested in the fillet if they got a 40 % yield from the whole fish (which is the norm for non egg laden fish).
Knowing that, it would be dumb on their part to sell the fillets to US markets so cheap even taking the exchange rates into consideration.
Most fish processors deal only in US funds anyway.
Perch are a very hard fish to propagate and new technology is just starting to be utilized for restocking programsbut as far as using them for food fish, it's not happening yet.
I've checked some restaurants in the Minnesota /Wisconsin area and most places, you can buy a swordfish dinner cheaper than a yellow perch dinner.

One more thing. Many of these fillets coming into the US from Canada via Russia / Estonia are what they call refreshened.
They've been thawed, rinsed in a totally FDA legal bacteria eating solution and refrozen before being shipped.
Myself, I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole but these dealers who sell them know all about the perch shortages in the upper great lakes and are capatalizing on the demand for perch and walleye fillets by the people who love the great tasting fillets ! Unfortunately, they're meeting the demads with these inferior products.
CAVEAT EMPTOR !!!

[lobo]

Wow !!! Tony seems to know his fish.

Thanks for the info.

lobo

[WOW!]

Jumpin Jesus Man! If this is true I'm tossin the European walleye I bought from the local supermarket right into the trash can!

[TONY ON ICE]

You can believe it becuase it's all true.

These fish companies who import this European walleye (Zander) and perch are making so much more money that they don't pursue the domestic perch and walleye from Canada and the US like they used to.
Could be a good thing for the mid west perch populations but only until people learn what they're eating.

When buying perch / walleye fillets at your favorite store, ask them where they come from and ask them to prove it.
This European / Russian perch / walleye just has computer generated, printed stick on labels that say "Canadian" Perch or Walleyes, which ever it may be.
The packages from Europe / Russia / Estonia have fiber labels inside the clear plastic heat sealed bags that just denote that it's perch / walleye and how many pieces / kilos are inside.
All of this fish is repackaged once it gets here or to Canada.

Great profit for the people selling it but no deal for the consumer thast's used to eating great tasting US / Canadian perch and walleye.

[Rick]

thanks tony,
never will i do that again. that is very interesting stuff. what about the other fish we buy at the supermarket. like salmon and cod.. is any fish good that i buy
yuk.. the wife is all worried now. looks like she is going to let me catch fresh fish more oh boy. thanks

[Fuzzy]

Tony -
This is all very interesting to me. Do you happen to know what lakes and/or rivers in Russia, Estonia etc where they harvest the zander? It would seem to me that there must be Erie or Mille Lacs class bodies of water.

[Tough Guy]

Tough Guy wondering why anyone reading walleye board need to buy fish from supermarket. Maybe some guys need to get out more and catch own meal. Always taste better. Tough Guy getting hungry...Tough Guy always hungry.

[TONY ON ICE]

Rick,
There's little to worry about with farm raised Salmon, catfish, stipped bass or other species native to the US.
Most of the salmon we see in the stores comes from the Northwest US and Canada and from Newfoundland, Scotland, Ireland and England.

There's a lot less to worry about with these countries as they've been importing fish and seafood for 100 years or more.
Russia on the other hand, is the new kid on the block and looking back to what their people and economy has been over the past 40 years, I don't think they have the regulations on cleanliness and health as we door the other mentioned countries or provinces.
Cod that we see in the Midwest to the Northeast is mostly North Atlantic Cod, coming from the colder deep waters off shore.
I'm sure some west coast cod gets shipped inland but it's just not as good a food fish as the North Atlantic cod.

This might be a good thing for you now that your wife is a little skeptical about the import perch and walleye.
It just might get you more time on the water after all !

[TONY ON ICE]

FUZZY,
I'm not too familiar with the geographical aspects of Russia or Estonia but I would also imagine that these bodies of water were huge !
I have read in some magazines that the Euro perch grow big even in small ponds and lakes.
Would have to do a little research on this topic to be sure.

[wyosteve]

Sounds to me like Tough Guy better go back and spend some more time studying English!

[Spurdog]

I don't know much about how much Russian fish gets imported through Canada. I do know that there is substantial commercial fishing for these perch family fish in the Volga system. I have seen the commercial fishery on the largest reservoir in the world, Ribnsk on the upper Volga. This is not polluted water like the lower Volga, and a good many other waters in Russia and eastern Europe. Incidently, these are also the waters that gave us the zebra mussel (which came up from the Caspian sea with shipping after creation of the reservoir), and a number of other Great Lakes invasives. If you were dropped into Ribnsk with your eyes closed and no idea where you were, you would think you were in South Dakota when you opened them. The zander and perch I ate, prepared in a boiled fish stew, were excellent.

[Tonto]

Mr. Wyo Steve, Tough guy good friend of Tonto. Tonto call Tough guy Keimosabe. You from Wyoming, you should know many speak this way out where Buffalo roam. Tonto wonder if Wyo Steve drinking water right outta river, downstream from Buffalo herd. This all in fun. Masked man teach Tonto to use computer. Tonto thankful, give Masked man Squaw for trouble. Masked man now happier than he has been in many moons.

[Tough Guy]

Tough Guy take crash course from Tough Wife. Much improved English over handed down grunting from ancestors. Tonto been on long hiadus? No see on trail to water long time. Restaurant still make profit? Good buffet $3.99, Tough Guy easily get money worth.