Risk Assessment and Mitigation of AquAdvantage Salmon

Aqua Bounty Technologies, Inc. has recently applied for deregulation of their AquAdvantage salmon—salmon that have been genetically engineered to grow faster than wild-type salmon. The salmon have the potential benefit of providing high-quality animal protein without putting additional pressure on declining wild fish stocks. However, these salmon present some potential risks that warrant examination. First, effects on the health and welfare of the animals must be determined. Second, if genetically engineered salmon were to escape and become established in the wild, native salmon populations or other aspects of the ecosystem could be adversely affected. Third, this genetically engineered trait or some part of the development or rearing process might have health consequences for consumers. These risks must be fully addressed before deregulation can be considered.