When you want salmon, you don't always have the option of choosing wild or farmed. But when you do, you can make the best choice if you know how they differ.

WILD SALMON
Wild salmon is fished from the Pacific Coast's Columbia River, Puget Sound and Alaska. It's more expensive than farmed and is only available fresh mid-May through mid-September. The most popular varieties are:

--King (Chinook), a large, medium-firm, fatty and rich-flavored fish.

--Coho (Silver), smaller than King, firm-fleshed, lean and mild-tasting.

--Sockeye, the leanest; full-flavored and firm-textuerd with an intense red color.

Other wild species with much more limited availability include Copper River Sockeye and King, and Yukon River King.

FARMED SALMON
The most common farmed species is Atlantic, which has nearly vanished from the wild. It's raised in pens in North America, Europe, Norway and Chile. It's the cheapest salmon and is available year-round. It has a delicate texture, high fat content and mild flavor. However, conservation groups discourage eating farmed salmon because of the impact salmon farms have on the environment. Visit www.seafoodwatch.org for more information.

NUTRITION
Both wild and farmed salmon are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They're typically low in saturated fat and high in quality protein. All farmed and some wild salmon can be high in contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Visit www.edf.org/seafoodhealth for more information.