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Franken Fish Coming to Fish FarmsThursday, January 19, 2006farmedanimal.net US-based company Aqua Bounty Technologies has genetically engineered a species of salmon that grows twice as fast as natural-born salmon, with fish farmers as the intended customers. The company attached part of a gene from an ocean pout to stimulate continuous growth hormone production compared to the natural intermittent hormone production activated by sunlight. The company is seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, and its founder says he hopes to gain approval and start selling the fish by 2008. However, the company may yet face some difficulties given consumer and regulatory concerns about genetically engineered animals for human consumption. Researchers at the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture are also investigating ways to speed up growth for rainbow trout and other commonly farmed species of fish. |