The Norwegian Biotechnology Council is looking into the possibility of approving a production method for genetically modified salmon (GM). If the Norwegian authorities agree, Canada will no longer be an isolated state in GM salmon production and the distances will be shortened so that this species finally reaches the end consumer’s table.
The Norwegian Biotechnology Council is looking into the possibility of approving a production method for genetically modified salmon (GM). This methodology involves editing the genes in the salmon roe to make them more resilient to disease and so that the fish do not develop reproductive cells. This is designed to solve one of the great problems of Norwegian aquaculture – the loss of fish in farms as well as avoiding any that might escape from not being able to breed with wild salmon.
If a country with Norway’s credentials can approve GM salmon production, this is likely to act as a way of putting on pressure to unblock the sale of this product in the U.S.A., where it is now blocked for importing and marketing until the labelling regulation is mapped out.