But not everyone in the salmon industry is convinced. Some have voiced strong opposition. The rapid growth of commercial fish farming over the past decade has led to sharp decreases in salmon prices. Once commercially available, transgenic salmon could flood the market, driving down the price of farmed salmon even further. The possible approval of the first transgenic fish raises many of the same fears and concerns as the registration of transgenic crops.
Ecologists express great concern about engineered salmon.
They fear that transgenic fish, if they are released or escape into the wild, may wreak havoc on native salmon populations. Concerns about escape are well founded. Farmed salmon are traditionally grown in ocean netpens and these cages are not escape-proof. Storms and hungry animals can damage netpens, releasing large numbers of fish. Once out, the animals are virtually impossible to recapture.