CASE STUDY No. I

• Main Author: Growth-enhanced Salmon
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.180.6620; http://www.agobservatory.org/library.cfm?refID=70180

This case study concerns the potential aquaculture production or importation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) genetically engineered to contain an additional fish growth hormone gene that is intended to make the Atlantic salmon grow faster and use feed more efficiently. In general, brood stocks of such fish would be raised in conventional inland hatcheries, where brood stock would be treated to produce 100% genetically female eggs. The eggs would then be treated to cause reproductive sterility (triploidy). The reproductively sterile, all-female offspring would be grown initially in hatcheries and then to maturity in ocean net pens, before being harvested for food. The ability of hatchery managers to ensure reproductive sterility is currently high but less than 100%. Therefore, escapes of fish from net pens may include some females that are capable of reproduction. The case study is prospective in nature, and is generalized to encompass more than one type of genetic modification. The genetic engineering causes the salmon to contain a new animal drug, which is subject to regulation by the Food and Drug