FDA Says Giant, Genetically Modified Salmon Is Environmentally Safe

Wednesday, December 26, 2012 - 17:20 in Biology & Nature

Genetically Engineered Salmon Transgenic Atlantic salmon called AquAdvantage grow at twice the rate of their natural counterparts. These fish are the same age. AquaBountyAquAdvantage salmon--otherwise known as the "FrankenFish"--has been approved for consumption already. But now the FDA has ruled on its environmental impact, and not everyone agrees with the ruling. The AquAdvantage salmon, a genetically modified fish that grows year round and much faster than a natural salmon, has been approved for human consumption for years now (at least in the US). But one consistent hurdle to getting the "FrankenFish" on supermarket shelves is the suspected environmental impact. Critics speculate that the AquAdvantage salmon, needing as it does so much more food than a natural salmon, could extinguish the food sources in a natural salmon's habitat. They also worry about the possibility of interbreeding. But the FDA has officially given its mark of environmental approval, thanks to certain precautions AquaBounty,...

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