Genetically Engineered Fish

To avoid all the hazards seemingly linked to red meat many people opt for lighter proteins from fish. Salmon is one of the healthiest fish on the market with its large amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. Who knew that genetic engineering would travel to the sea as GE fish is the newest delicacy we may be sinking our teeth into.

What exactly are transgenic salmon?

About twenty years ago, in a faraway lab in Newfoundland, it all began when a few scientists began studying proteins in various fish that allowed them to withstand frigid temperatures without freezing. The scientist isolated the so called "antifreeze" gene and injected into Atlantic salmon. Much to their own delight, they discovered not only could the salmon withstand the freezing waters but the gene triggered the growth hormone to work year round where wild salmon normally pulse during the warm season when food is plentiful.

What can they do?

• Reaches full size in 18months rather than 4 years
• GE fish are aggressive in nature and when housed in the same environment as their wild cousins, it's survival of the fittest.
• GE salmon eat 1.3 pounds of fish to produce one pound for consumption versus 10 lbs of fish for wild salmon.

Scientist attempt to put the public's fear of the infamous "Frankenfish" by noting the benefits of this up and coming protein in a marketplace near you.

World hunger. Starving nations will allegedly enjoy salmon and world hunger will end.

Support our farmers. Less costly for farmers raising salmon who are can now purchase half the amount of food as the growth rate has rapidly increased. I wonder if scientist can come up with an approach to reduce the cost of raising children.

Salmon is quite pricey. Are you tired of feeding your family fish sticks? Well, a large supply of transgenic salmon can cut the price of salmon for consumers in the marketplace.

But to some the fears outweigh the benefits.

Overly aggressive transgenic fish may potentially cause the extinction of wild population and in particular those already on the endangered list.

Money talks. The demand for seafood increased annually around 12 percent in recent years and is growing on a global scale

Worst case scenario, the Trojan Gene hypothesis proposed by Purdue University geneticist William Muir.

If approved the transgenic fish, called AquaAdvantage, will be the first GMO animal approved for consumption. Isn't your mouth just watering at the mere thought of it?