The first U.S. sales of the AquAdvantage salmon, a faster‐ growing, genetically engineered fish, have finally begun. The farmed fish grows to maturity almost twice as quickly as its non‐ engineered cohorts, and on much less feed. It is coming to market after a quarter‐century and close to $100 million spent trying to get the approval of federal regulators. In addition to governmental foot‐dragging, the journey was constantly dogged by activists opposed to genetically engineered food.
Having a salmon that is easy to grow and maintain, even far from the ocean, is a win–win–win for consumers, the fish industry, and the environment. Yet, dozens of grocery chains, restaurants, and food service companies are refusing to sell AquAdvantage out of concern that the public could wrongly perceive the fish as dangerous because it was genetically engineered using modern molecular techniques.
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AquAdvantage is only now reaching U.S. markets and restaurants. Worth noting: the fish was approved for marketing in Canada in 2016, is available in supermarkets without special labeling, and is very popular with consumers.
