Providing Healthy and Sustainable Wild-Caught Seafood - by Alisha Crabtree
Are you searching for savory and superb seafood? Based in Titusville and supported by Port Canaveral docks, Wild Ocean Seafood Market features premium wild-caught shrimp and fish. For four generations, the family-owned and – operated company has specialized in and continues providing Floridians with healthy and sustainable seafood.
“Shrimp and fish remain two of the most nutritious and tastiest foods one can consume,” said Jeanna Merrifield, one of the three owners of Wild Ocean Seafood Market. “Each is loaded with essential nutrients, including protein, Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Eating seafood can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fight depression and anxiety, promote brain health and improve bone and joint health. Wild Ocean Seafood Market strives to educate consumers about food choices and the advantages of locally grown and harvested shrimp and fish.”
Benefits of Wild-Caught Seafood
The World Bank predicts by 2030 nearly two-thirds of consumed seafood will be exclusively farm-raised to compensate, recoup and counterbalance for overfishing. Farm-raised shrimp and fish live in crowded cages submerged in lakes, ponds and other bodies of salt water. Due to these small quarters, farm-raised shrimp and fish tend to be fattier, which causes higher concentrations of omega-6 acids, contaminants and carcinogenic chemicals. They are fed antibiotics and pesticides to fight various diseases. When ingested, this may put consumers at increased risk of heart disease, cancer and depression.
Because wild-caught shrimp and fish live in non-constricted, natural conditions and environments, each swims freely, resulting in half the fat farm-raised fish exhibit. Unlike farm-raised seafood, wild-caught shrimp and fish are not force-fed antibiotics and pesticides.
Therefore, they do not contain harmful toxins and chemicals and do not exhibit or force any ill effects on their natural environment. Just imagine what those same contaminants can do to the body in the long run!
Photo Credit: wildoceandirect.com
Offering Fresh, Local Seafood
“Seafood lovers appreciate what they consume, where it originates, and its impact on health and environment,” said Merrifield. “Wild Ocean Market is passionate about fresh seafood at competitive prices. We believe local agriculture is the desirable, expedient and optimum approach to supporting economic growth with fewer resources.”
When purchasing wild-caught seafood, consumers are not contributing to farm-raised operations. Wild Ocean Seafood Market shrimp and fish are flash frozen at sea without preservatives or chemicals and processed at its local facility, therefore, maintaining the freshest, purest quality. Depending on the season, Wild Ocean Seafood Market sells brown, white, Key West pink, royal red, and rock shrimp, fish, shellfish and wild caught gator.
Wild Ocean Seafood Market also offers a full range of casual seafood menu items at their Titusville Eatery. Local products are used and typically come from the Port Canaveral docks. Their kitchen is a scratch kitchen, which means that everything is made from scratch. A pick-up catering menu is available and brunch will be offered in the near future.
