Engineered fish: friend or foe of the environment

Transgenic salmon grow up to six times as fast as other domesticated salmon

Demand for seafood is rising, and it might double by 2040, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Genetic engineering, which can produce fish that grow many times faster than other domesticated strains, might provide better yields for developing countries, reduce pollution from fish farms and ease pressure on wild fisheries.

In this article, Erik Stokstad explores the yet-to-be-determined answer to the question lingering in the minds of many scientists: what would happen if the fish escaped?

Link to Science article

Source: Science 297, 1797 (2002)

Related article:

Transgenic animals 'could harm environment', 22 August 2002


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Photo credit: USFWS