For instance, color has been added to the feed for 25 years, but public awareness was heightened last year when a lawsuit in Seattle forced salmon farmers to label the fish as "artificially colored." Since then, an "all-natural" no-color-added salmon has gained attention. The salmon still has some natural pigment but not as much, said Sheldon.

Fresh salmon is only available two-thirds of the year, he said. "But we have customers who would rather buy a previously frozen wild fish than a fresh-farmed fish."

Randy Rice, seafood technical program director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, said the state's wild salmon come from waters far removed from industrial pollution. The state's fish and game department monitors the harvest so that enough fish can spawn each year to ensure more for the future.

"Alaska salmon has a cachet, a very positive association in people's minds," he said. "But it's not our goal to better our product position by trashing the other product. We think the flavor and texture is superior, because it's wild and natural and swims freely in the ocean. It's also part of the ecosystem and provides a lot of benefit to the rest of the fish and animals, and it's managed on a sustainable basis. But there's a big market out there for salmon, and we can't fill it all."

Wild salmon costs more to harvest, he said, so Alaskan fishermen really can't compete with the farmed salmon prices.

"The sustainability message isn't just about the fish, it's about the way of life in the coastal communities in Alaska. They rely on the salmon industry, and they're really having a hard time. Some consumers really appreciate supporting that when they buy wild salmon."

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HONEY GRILL GLAZE

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Mix together well. Use as a glaze when grilling salmon. — Valerie Phillips

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SESAME GINGER ALASKA SALMON

4 salmon steaks or 6-ounce fillets

5 green onions, cut into 2-inch shreds, reserving 1/4 cup shreds

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or 1 1/2 tablespoon dried cilantro

1 lemon, cut into 8 thin slices

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

2 tablespoons minced and packed ginger

1/3 cup sake or dry sherry, optional

1/4 cup light soy sauce