After 20 years, the FDA has finally approved of the AquAdvantage salmon for human consumption. The AquAdvantage salmon is a genetically modified fish developed by the AquaBounty Technologies, a biotechnology company based in Massachusetts, United States of America. The AquAdvantage salmon is an Atlantic salmon with genes from the Pacific Chinook salmon and the Ocean Pout. The AquAdvantage salmon is designed to grow twice as fast as traditionally-farmed Atlantic salmon. The salmon is able to reach the adult size in a duration of 18 months as compared to 30 months.
According to FAO.org, in 2014, salmon is one of the most consumed seafood in the USA. The current worldwide production of salmon exceeds 1 million tonnes. Records have also shown that we are consuming more farmed than wild fish. However, marine life is still being overharvested. Worldwide consumption of Salmon is 3 times higher than in the 1980s. The fastest growing food production system is Salmon aquaculture. It takes up 70% of the fish market.
AquaBounty was originally founded to pursue the commercial development of antifreeze protein. Antifreeze proteins are a class of polypeptides produced by vertebrates, plants, fungi and bacteria. This allows them to live in sub-zero environments. Polypeptides are short chains of amino acid monomers. These amino acid ‘beads’ are linked by peptide bonds. Geneticists soon realised that the antifreeze genes could be turned on and off. They then thought of applying it to the salmon’s growth hormone genes. AquaBounty then created their first transgenic fish in 1989, the AquAdvantage Salmon. This fish was developed by taking growth hormone-regulating genes from a Pacific Chinook salmon and promoters from Ocean Pouts. A promoter is a section of the DNA strand which starts the transcription process of a gene. Transcription is when RNA strands are made from DNA strands. This occurs when the DNA sequence is duplicated by an enzyme called the RNA polymerase to create an RNA strand. The promoter gene is used to regulate the antifreeze protein gene. Normally, Atlantic salmon only produce the growth hormones in the spring and summer. With the addition of the Ocean Pout’s promoter gene, genomes in the AquAdvantage salmon ensures that the Chinook’s inserted growth hormone is produced all year round as the promoter gene from the Ocean Pout acts as a “switch” that stays turned on. Thus, the AquAdvantage salmon will (reportedly) be able to grow twice the size faster than a normal salmon. The same method that is used to produce conventional salmon is also used to produce the Aquadvantage salmon. However, to ensure that the Aquadvantage salmon will not impact the wild salmon population, they are unable to mate. The eggs are pressure shot which induces sterility. The process starts with male and female sperm and eggs being gently extracted when it is spawning time. The male Atlantic salmon carry the Aquadvantage salmon transgene, which enables fast growth. The AAS transgene is a permanent part of the male salmon’s genetic makeup and it is heritable. This means that the gene will be passed on naturally through many generations. AquaBounty has successfully produced 10 generations of Aquadvantage salmon. Then, the fertilized and sterile eggs are incubated until they are ready for shipping. The hatched salmon are transferred to tanks until they are ready to be sold. The AquAdvantage salmon was also created to reduce the amount of overfishing. Although, environmental conditions have contributed to the decline of fish stocks, overfishing/overharvesting is recognized as the main cause of the problem. The severe decrease of wild/predatory fish is most notable. The decline in wild fish is troubling as it stipulated the amount of pressure humans and their companies/fisheries are imposing on marine life. Aquaculture may be a solution to this. Aquaculture supplies 55 million tonnes of the 118 million tonnes us humans consume each year. Since AquAdvantage salmon is produced via Aquaculture, it could help to reduce pressure on wild marine life. The salmon harvested in on-land facilities. Firstly, this would reduce transport costs, which would then reduce the carbon footprint of the industry. Secondly, with the salmon being produced in isolation, this will reduce the amount of pressure on wild fish stocks. Overfishing has resulted in a huge decline of many fish stocks. Lastly, since the salmon is bred on land, this means that they are closer to consumers. Thus, a fresh supply of fish is available at all times. According to the AquaBounty cofounder, Elliot Entis, the AquAdvantage salmon consumes 20-25% less feed (in their lifetime) than conventionally farmed salmon. This makes the AquAdvantage salmon cheaper but with the same amount of nutrients and size. In Canada, AquaBounty have sold 5 tonnes of the AquAdvantage salmon.Since Aquadvantage salmon are raised in land-based facilities, this eliminates the risk of fish escaping from the compounds into the ocean. Being bred on land, AquaBounty is able to control the water coming in and out of the area and this will allow the removal of wastes and recycling of the water used. The production systems will also be operated at low densities which optimizes fish health and reduce the environmental impact of the systems.