While the annual migration of salmon will likely continue for years to come, their genetically modified counterparts may be more of what Americans find on their dinner tables after a recent FDA decision.

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The announcement by the FDA legalizes the sale of genetically modified salmon, and the decision will have far greater consequences than many predict.

With the FDA ruling that the salmon is safe for consumption, consumers have no reason to distrust or believe otherwise that they will be harmed by eating genetically modified salmon. The consequences, however, come with the economic impact the recent decision will have on the numerous fisheries around the world.

The state of Alaska has turned commercial fishing into a $6.4 billion annual industry. Boasting one of the largest salmon runs in the world, these fish play a substantial part in contributing to this number, according to leading seafood processor Alaska Seafood.

Since the 1980s, farmed salmon have been on the market in the U.S. and have taken a substantial market share away from wild salmon production. This, combined with the recent ruling legalizing genetically modified salmon, may be the one-two punch that completely wipes out the Alaskan wild salmon fisheries.

The genetically modified salmon are designed to grow and reach a market weight faster than traditional farmed fish.

GMOs are in many foods we eat every day, and often we don’t even know it. In fact, 80 percent of processed foods in the U.S. contain some sort of GMOs, according to an article published by Time Magazine.

Fears of GMOs are not new, but with salmon as the first ever approved genetically modified animal, consumers are swimming in unchartered waters.

As of right now, there are no requirements for the labeling of modified fish, so consumers are left in the dark about where their fish are coming from.

The saving grace for the issue might lie overseas; many European countries have outlawed GMO crops and will likely follow suit when it comes to salmon, according to High Country News magazine.

Additionally, many private businesses in the U.S are leading the way and declining to sell genetically modified salmon. Restaurants and distributers such as Red Lobster and Costco have publically announced they will not sell genetically modified salmon, according to an article published by The Hill.

While this response is largely due to consumer concern over the safety of the product, it shows a general uneasy attitude towards genetically modified salmon.

Consumers should demand wild, fresh caught salmon, not a fish that was designed in a lab and lived its life in an oversized fish tank.

In general, I support GMO usage. Scientific advances in food can provide incredible benefits, but at some point, a line must be drawn.

This is where I draw my line by refusing to genetically modify salmon.

Philip Grossenbacher is a sophomore English education major from Lynwood. He can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of The Office of Student Media.