Salmon have become so popular with fish-eaters that the only way to meet the demand is to increase fish-farming production. One American-Canadian company has responded by genetically engineering a supersalmon, or Frankenfish as it has become known by genetic engineering opponents.
The Frankenfish is being engineered to grow twice as fast and at half the cost, taking 11/2 years instead of three years to reach marketing weight.
Michael Erisman, vice president of business development for A/F Protein said, “We’re aiming to reduce the time to market to 50 percent so we’re no longer having to feed these fish without getting any return.”
Sister venture Aqua Bounty Farms Inc., is developing the fish and has already grown tens of thousands of farm-raised salmon.
The company’s aim is to change the nature of salmon farming from using ocean corrals to land tanks, which they say will be better for the already overcrowded marine environment and for the economy.
Scientists inject growth genes from another species into the eggs, so the salmon’s primary goals are consuming food and growing.
However, critics believe the super salmon could upset the ecosystem of the sea. “We are very cautious and we want a demonstration that would indicate the species is not harmful from an ecological standpoint,” said Bill Knapp, deputy assistant director for fisheries and habitat conservation at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Opponents to the scheme worry that the supersalmon will escape from pens and compete too easily with other fish for food, mates and habitat.
“The demands can’t be met just using natural fish,” said Knapp. “There’s a void to be filled.”
Fox News
