60 Days To Frankenfish: FDA Set To Approve GMO Salmon
The FDA released a report today suggesting that salmon engineered to grow three times faster than their not-freak counterparts will not pose any harm to nature. Okay, I'm sure we'll see about that. But will it pose any harm to us?
The modified salmon is called AquAdvantage by experts and Frankenfish by those who don't need to be experts to know whether or not they like the idea of fixing something that ain't broke, then eating it on a bagel with schmear. Sound like Roundup Ready? Obviously, you see where we stand on the issue. As a food writer who doesn't specialize in food policy in any way, all I'm entitled to say is that GMO soy and wheat freak me out enough without eyes that see and tails that wiggle.
Like Roundup Ready crops, AquAdvantage salmon are meant to be raised separately from their non-modified siblings, then released into a sealed-off "semi-natural environment" to grow big and strong. Maybe too strong. If released into the wild, it's conceviable that since the modified fish also live twice as long as their conventional brothers, they would have the ability to outcompete them in other ways. Like...obtaining food. And spawning. You know, life stuff. Wait, hang on — AquAdvantage salmon are all female and sterile (except for a few who can still breed, and what are the odds there?). Get your sterile lox! Get your infertile freaky lady salmon right here!
If you're like me and would rather eat salmon that matures less rapidly because it never had its naturally healthy, very tasty and totally normal genes modified, let the FDA know — they're taking comments from the public for 60 days, starting now. What would One Pound Fish Guy do?
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