HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers say they don’t want genetically engineered fish grown in the islands.
Lawmakers are moving forward with a bill to ban farming genetically engineered fish, which critics dub “frankenfish.” The bill was introduced in response to the United States Food and Drug Administration’s approval of genetically engineered salmon in November 2015. AquAdvantage salmon is the first genetically engineered fish approved for sale and consumption in the U.S.
Opponents say the ban is premature because the fish aren’t currently grown in Hawaii. They say it would be difficult to grow salmon because of Hawaii’s warm climate.
But supporters of the ban worry about whether genetically engineered fish is safe for consumption. They also say the fish could threaten native species if accidentally released into the wild.