Food FAQ's
Farmed salmon...does it taste good & what about the environmental impact??
MYTH farmed salmon is bad for the environment
At Radius, we are committed to serving you with the best tasting food at an affordable price while taking responsibility for our impact on the planet.
Since we opened in 2013, our cedar plank salmon is one of our most popular dishes, and for good reason. We marinate all our salmon in our own blend of fresh herbs and oil, then roast it in our wood-fired, brick oven sitting on top of hand-cut cedar planks. Executive Chef Mick Carroll carefully harvests the cedar from already downed or dead trees from our woods and that of our parents; making sure to leave plenty of wood for natural forest decay.
We use only Verlasso farmed salmon because it's the only sustainable way to protect the ever-dwindling population of wild salmon and it's more affordable. Verlasso salmon was the first ocean-raised salmon and the only Chilean farmed salmon to get the “Yellow, A Good Alternative” recommendation from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program. Here are some more facts about Verlasso salmon:
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Preventative antibiotics are never used. Verlasso follows strict requirements by Seafood Watch®.
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The region where Verlasso is farming has exceptionally cold water, which limits disease and parasites. If a pen is ever in need of being treated, the fish are tested to ensure they are 100% antibiotic-free prior to harvest.
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Verlasso never uses growth hormones.
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The fish are respectfully handled throughout their life.
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Verlasso has a low pen density of 2 fish for every cubic ton of water. (Industry norms are often 4 fish for every cubic ton of water.) This ensures the fish have plenty of room to swim and grow.
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Verlasso utilizes a two-net system in-water with a canopy net over the water to protect the fish from predators and to protect the natural environment.
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At harvest, the fish are humanely anesthetized and harvested without brutality to ensure quality fish.
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Verlasso uses only the trimmings (not whole fish) of feeder fish sourced from sustainable fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Seafood Watch®.
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Verlasso supplements the salmon diet with necessary algae, vitamins, natural colorant, and oils rich in Omega-3 (DHA & EPA).
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Verlasso’s farmers, who live on-site, monitor the amount of feed distributed to the fish to prevent excess feed from entering the water.
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The government of Chile selects sites for farming that have clean water with strong currents, including the nutrient-rich Humboldt current that runs through the Antarctic. Verlasso has then chosen sites within those that are farthest away from any industry and where the waters are the coldest.
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By law, the PH and oxygen levels of the water are checked weekly.
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Verlasso has never had any fish escapes.
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Verlasso developed an industry-leading netting system free of copper anti-foulant.
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The fish are protected by a system of three nets. The first encloses the fish in the water.
A second net surrounds the perimeter of the site to prevent escapes and protect the fish from predators like sea lions. The third net, located above the pens, deters predatory birds. There is also an emergency system in place for catastrophic incidents (like strong storms) to counteract net collapse. -
Verlasso uses technology to prevent algae growth on the pens, instead of harmful exposed copper wire. Their “vacuum” cleans the nets on an ongoing basis to maintain quality and efficacy.
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After each harvest, Verlasso allows the fjords where it farms to stand fallow for a minimum of 3-6 months during which the area is thoroughly tested. Nets are removed, giving the water a chance to flow and rejuvenate. This promotes the health of the surrounding environment. They only establish another farm site when it’s determined the area has returned to its natural state.
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Verlasso farm sites are uniquely located in areas where there are no native salmon species. It is not possible for Verlasso salmon to interact with wild salmon populations.