This sort of reminds me of the Copper River salmon craze of a few years back. The king salmon wild caught in the Copper River in Alaska are slightly higher in fat content. Chefs discovered this, which lead to incredible price markups. (Along with intense marketing by the Alaska fishing community). The result? Salmon going for well over $60 per lb.

In a similar vein, someone thought….hey, why can’t we do this with farmed fish? Thus, genetically modified salmon from the Pacific Northwest, higher in fat content, were taken to New Zealand, grown on farms, then marketed aggressively. In a smart move, they market based on 2 factors. Taste and Health.

The taste part is more subjective. If you prefer a more silky (for lack of a better word), salmon…this may be your fish. If you plan on eating it raw…this may be your fish.

As for the health benefit, fish oil is naturally a good source of Omega -3. Thus, a fattier fish, lends itself to more oil production.This fat layer is found just under the skin, and is released when cooked. (Sorry Corky!!!).

Now, to answer your question. Would I purchase or order it? No. I’m a self described fish snob. What I don’t catch and consume, I order from specific trusted sources. For salmon, I use one specific site in Alaska. Generally Copper River king salmon is just not worth the investment, unless it is on sale. (And beware of places that advertise crazy low pricing on “Copper River” salmon. These salmon are not true CR salmon, but generally caught in tributary rivers and streams).

From a taste and health perspective, I’m just as happy with any wild caught king salmon from Alaska. Unless you are going to order a simple grilled preparation, most places douse fish in elaborate sauces and crazy seasoning. It masks the true fish taste (IMHO).

Sorry for the long winded response!