Shoutout for trout: why you won’t find salmon on our menus

Salmon has long been a popular choice on wedding and party menus. Smoked salmon blini canapes, poached fillet, and even on the barbecue – it’s a summer classic. But in recent years, concerns have grown over the viability of salmon production. As event caterers, we consider sustainability in all our decisions, especially regarding what goes on our menu. 

We know that sustainability is important to our clients too. With this in mind, we wanted to explain why we’re championing trout as an alternative that is not only kinder to the environment, but thoroughly delicious

What’s the issue with salmon?

• Wild salmon populations are under constant pressure from overfishing. Many wild salmon stocks have declined due to the demand for salmon in the global market. This can disrupt ecosystems and harm other species that depend on salmon.

• Escapees from salmon farms can introduce diseases, parasites, and interbreeding with wild salmon populations, leading to further declines in wild salmon stocks.

• Intensive farming often relies on antibiotics and chemicals to control diseases and parasites in crowded aquaculture settings. 

• The carbon footprint of salmon farming is considerable. It requires significant energy inputs for maintaining water quality, temperature, and feeding the fish. 

Why choose trout?

We realised that we needed an alternative that is sustainable, accessible, and delicious. We’ve always occasionally used trout and loved it for its delicate flavour and adaptability. So, we were thrilled to affirm that it’s a sustainable choice for event catering.

• Trout farming generally has a lower environmental impact compared to salmon farming. They require less feed, produce fewer waste by-products, and are less likely to escape from fish farms.

• Trout tend to grow faster than salmon, which can reduce the time and resources required to bring them to market size. This means less feed, less time in captivity, and reduced overall resource consumption.

• Trout are often hardier and less susceptible to diseases and parasites compared to salmon, reducing the need for antibiotics and chemicals in their aquaculture.
• We are lucky that in the South West of England trout farming is a more localised and sustainable option, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation and processing.

• Trout come in various species and can be farm-raised in multiple environments, providing a diverse range of options, reducing pressure on any one specific species.

For us it was a no-brainer. By choosing trout over salmon, we can play a role in promoting more sustainable seafood options and protecting the health of our oceans and ecosystems.

If you are interested in finding out more, the film Artificial by Patagonia is a great watch.

And 

Check out our 2024 wedding and event menus to see how we use trout, as well as other planet-friendly options (hello, English peaches!) in our dishes.

Please get in touch to find out more about how we can make your wedding or event catering dreams come true and be gentle on the environment at the same time.