AquaBounty Technologies, a US company, created a variety of salmon which was modified to grow twice as fast as wild salmon.

The company argues that the salmon they produce, named Aquadvantage, should be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration because it could help the national industry and would reduce pressure caused by industrial fishing on the environment.

However, the promoters of food sovereignty and food safety say that this salmon could represent a serious threat to wild salmon if approved, because the genetically modified fish could escape from tanks and enter the ecosystem of wild salmon, and compete for resources with them.

In addition, critics point out that there is not enough information about the effects of its consumption on human beings, and warn that this variety would have the same problems than the ones that grow in fish farms, although they may be even more susceptible to diseases and would thus need a larger amount of antibiotics than farm fish.

This is why, the opponents to GM salmon are urging the US population to express their rejection to the FDA and demand the producers proper labeling if GM salmon is eventually approved, since the company argued that there are no differences between GM and wild salmon, and thus they are refusing to establish a difference through labeling.

Nevertheless, sources from the companies said to Reuters that there were no tests carried out on human beings or animals to assess the effects of the consumption of GM salmon, and only its taste was tested.

“I´ve eaten the fish, and it tastes great”, said Ronald Stotish, AquaBounty Technologies Executive. He also said that this type of salmon should be approved because it looks like just the wild variety. If GM salmon is approved, this could open the door to other kinds of genetically modified animal foods, such as pigs and cattle.

Photo: Center for Food Safety