This article’s purpose is to evaluate possible harm and advantages of GM fish. At the beginning of this article, the author notices that the twentieth century’s green revolution may have been the most significant improvement in people’s lives (Muir, 2004). However, there was an enormous increase only in agriculture; as for fishing grounds, a considerable number of them are already depleted to such an extent that their future viability is at risk. According to Muir (2004), genetically modified fish can increase farms’ yield. Nevertheless, there are severe concerns that it may escape into the wild and have a negative impact on other species. Recently, various transgenic fish were developed but not approved for aquaculture. To evaluate potential environmental harm and create prevention measures, there is a unique tool for policymakers and regulators that may be described as risk assessment for transgenic organisms.
There are certain benefits of creating GM fish, including the fact that genetic modifications make them more tolerant to cold temperatures and resistant to bacterial diseases and let them grow much faster. Besides, such species help ensure the invasive species’ biocontrol and increase the economics of fish farms (Muir, 2004). However, the most crucial advantage is that developing GM fish designed to be eaten eliminates some severe consequences of gathering it from the wild. Despite these benefits, some people are against such fish, and their main argument is that if they go into the wild, it will cause severe problems and significant environmental damage. Nevertheless, Muir (2004) notices that “the escape of a non-transgenic domesticated fish may cause as great a harm as the escape of a GM one” (p. 655). Thus, this threat comes not from transgenic species but from the escape of any domesticated fish in general.