Are there risks to wild fish if they interbreed with transgenic fish?
From our experience with farmed fish, we know that farm fish escaping from net cages can affect wild stocks, yet with good quality management, this is also preventable. As transgenic fish have not been approved for use or manufacture in Canada, there is limited information on the potential for interbreeding with wild fish of the same species. • Research has shown that Atlantic salmon (wild or farmed) cannot produce viable offspring in crosses with Pacific salmon. • Some escaped Atlantic salmon have survived for a time in freshwater streams, but there is no evidence of any established populations. This lack of evidence supports scientific opinion that the risk to wild stocks from escaped farmed Atlantic salmon is low. • Farmed Atlantic salmon can successfully mate with wild Atlantic salmon. Little research on the genetic interactions between escaped farmed Atlantic salmon and wild Atlantic salmon has been conducted in North America. It is too early to speculate or draw conclusions on th
