The dilemma is this: We love to eat wild fish, but thoughtless gorging may ultimately decimate the very thing we love. What’s the alternative?

A third of the fish consumed globally comes from fish farms, and as ocean and lake catches continue to decline, farm-to-table numbers will only rise. But fish-farming has its costs. Salmon are dosed with antibiotics to fight the contagious diseases that race through crowded pens. And that meaty pink hue we insist on? A diet of synthetic dyes would turn you pink, too.

Fish taste only as good as what they eat, so when flavor is key, wild has long been the gourmet’s choice. But while sea-foodies snub the feedlot variety as inferior, fish farms continue to grow. And some farms are changing their methods to produce healthy, five-star fish. Tim O’Shea, founder of the San Francisco-based seafood distributor CleanFish, travels the world to find thoughtfully farmed, sustainable seafood. He believes a small, well-run fish farm can out-produce a commercial fishery in quality and quantity. He values artisanal husbandry that addresses the range of concerns: environmental, culinary and moral.

Among his favorite fishes, O’Shea touts Scottish Loch Duart salmon. These fish are fed sustainable resources that mimic a natural ocean diet and are given plenty of room to swim and grow. Such details ensure a product guided by the needs of the fish, not the investors.

O’Shea called food production a "cultural battle," and said he is campaigning to educate people. "We need real change," he said. When fish farming’s negatives came to light, O’Shea thinks many conservationists over-reacted and swam in the wrong direction. "They all said, ‘Farm bad, wild better.’" But this ignores the dangers of over-fishing, the possibility, he said, that in 30 years the wild fish may all be gone.

Last fall, O’Shea came to the Wood River Valley to sell his fishy notions. He hosted a dinner for local chefs featuring Loch Duart salmon and Fisherman’s Daughter shrimp from Mexico. The feast was a success; CleanFish products have been added to Ketchum menus at Rasberrys, Michel’s Christiania, Ketchum Grill, Knob Hill and Globus, as well as CK’s Real Food in Hailey. Mountain Pride, a local fresh meat and seafood provider, is also onboard. "Some locals would never eat farm-raised salmon specifically because we’re in the Northwest," said Stuart Siderman, Mountain Pride owner. "But last year, California and Oregon had no wild salmon season. It’s a diminishing product."

Meanwhile, Idaho farms on the nearby Snake River raise sustainable catfish, trout and tilapia. Due to its cool, clean water and naturally replenishing springs, the Snake River Canyon is ideal fish-farm country; about 75 percent of American trout is grown there.

One of the area’s largest trout operations is Clear Springs Foods. The employee-owned company is an active participant in groundwater protection efforts and has a resourceful eye. "The fish are raised in a clean environment. And we use the whole fish," said Cally Parrott, director of corporate relations. "We freeze the heads for pet food," and other waste is used in organic fertilizer.

As with all agriculture, modern fish farming requires care and sensitivity. Many species are abundant and fast growing. Others have a school of problems. But once we learn which fish are clean fish, the catch du jour can be a guilt-free pleasure.