We need to use all the tools we have available, and genetic engineering is one of them
The highlands of western Panama are an odd place for a fish farm. But then the Atlantic salmon reared there is unusual. It’s genetically engineered to grow twice as fast as typical farmed salmon, containing a growth-hormone gene from Chinook salmon and DNA from an eel-like species. It could boost production and reduce the environmental burden of salmon farming. If it ever gets into the shops, that is.
In 2012, the AquAdvantage salmon, reared by the US-based AquaBounty Technologies, looked set to become the first GM animal approved for human consumption. A panel appointed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the fish is safe to eat and poses no threat to the environment. Approval seemed imminent, despite opposition from environmental groups alarmed by the prospect of a GM salmon escaping. But the FDA stalled. Today, AquaBounty’s fast-growing salmon is stuck in the pipeline.
Researchers have developed dozens of GM animals over the years, from pigs full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids to chickens resistant to bird flu. They insist their work can help solve one of our greatest problems: how to feed a swelling global population with dwindling natural resources. “We need to produce more food with less land and water while not degrading the environment for future generations,” says James Murray of the University of California, Davis, who has developed GM goats that produce milk containing antibacterial proteins that can prevent diarrhoea. “We need to use all the tools we have available, and genetic engineering is one of them.”