Fishermen are catching smaller and smaller salmon. Retailers are adjusting.
Salmon are getting smaller, Bloomberg reports. So small, in fact, that Whole Foods has rewritten its size guidelines for purchasing from wholesalers. Scientists believe the shrinking may be the result of climate change and increased competition for food; no matter the reason, the end result is a flimsy fillet. Bloomberg calls the current trend “more a nuisance” than a serious problem, but the shrinking salmon might presage more concerning population dynamics among salmon fisheries. A silver-finned lining for business types: Genetically modified (GMO) salmon, engineered to grow much faster than its wild counterpart, may soon enter the market. But many of the largest retailers in the country have already signed a pledge not to sell GMO fish, largely due to concerns about food safety and potential threats to wild populations.
