NFI said in a press statement Tuesday afternoon that it "supports the safety and proven health benefits of farmed and wild salmon, fish that are extremely high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and extremely low in contaminants."

The report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims that farmed salmon purchased at Safeway, Whole Foods, Albertsons and other U.S. supermarkets tested high in PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), a suspected cancer-causing agent.

“The EWG is irresponsibly frightening consumers,” said John P. Connelly, president of the NFI, a non-profit trade association representing companies involved in all aspects of the fish and seafood industry.