December 23, 2019 — The Food and Drug Administration can regulate salmon that’s genetically engineered to grow faster, according to a decision in a California federal court case over concerns about so-called frankenfish.
Fishing, consumer, and environmental groups that challenged the FDA’s approval of such salmon from AquaBounty Technologies Inc. failed to convince the court that the agency lacks authority to regulate the fish. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Dec. 19 sided with the FDA, leaving to a later date a decision on whether the regulator failed to consider potential risks.
AquaBounty won the FDA’s first greenlight for changing the genetic makeup of an animal destined for the dinner table. The case could have implications for similar modifications in the works for fish like tilapia and trout or other animals down the line, according to the Center for Food Safety, one of the groups that sued.
“That’s why we were so concerned about this approval,” said Amy van Saun, a senior attorney at the center. “We want to make sure people and the environment are protected.”
Genetically engineered salmon are meant as an alternative to endangered wild salmon. AquaBounty plans to harvest its salmon starting in late 2020.