Genetically Modified Salmon

The US Food and Drug Administration has delayed approval of a commercial genetically modified salmon. In addition to determining whether or not this fast-growing salmon is fit for human consumption, the FDA is to determine whether or not it would be required to be labels as GM. In a briefing document published this week, the FDA concluded that "the food from AquAdvantage salmon (the triploid ABT salmon) that is the subject of this application is as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon, and that there is a reasonably certainty of no harm from consumption of food from this animal."

UK campaigners, on the other hand, claim that there's not enough conclusive evidence to prove "unequivocally" that GM products have no side effects despite FSA claims that GM foods are subject to "rigorous safety assessments." But what's of most concern to me is the ecological impact that the licensed farming of a "supersalmon." Though the creators of the GM salmon assure the USFDA that the fish are sterile and thus pose no threat to established ecosystems, the fish's eggs have a 5% fertility rate, and so the potential is there in the event that a fish (or two, or three...) do happen to escape into the wild, for competition and interbreeding. Aside from that, there's always the potential that these fish can disrupt wild food chains, harm other fish and introduce diseases and pests to their wild counterparts.

Despite the delay, campaigners say that an approval for the salmon is likely, with stocks expected to be on supermarket shelves in the US by 2012.