Scientists call these salmon genetically-modified. Critics, however, have already dubbed them "Frankenfish." By adding a growth hormone in a laboratory setting, scientists have managed to create a salmon that will grow to market size twice as quickly as their counterparts in the wild all of which could drastically reduce the price of the fish in grocery stores and aid with dwindling fish stocks.
Genetically-modified salmon have been in the news prior to 2010, but it was this year's Food and Drug Administration advisory panel that reignited passions on both sides of the issue. The panel is to determine whether the fish is safe for human consumption and if it could pose a threat to the environment. If the FDA does approve the fish (and it's widely thought that they will), it will mark the first time a genetically-modified animal has been approved for human consumption. Some scientists see these salmon on store shelves within two years.