On May 9, 2001, the Center for Food Safety and a coalition of over 60 petitioners, consisting of consumer and environmental protection organizations along with fishing companies and fishermen, filed legal petitions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demanding a moratorium on the domestic marketing and importation of transgenic fish until FDA adequately addresses the impacts to the environment and human food safety. In addition, the petitions request that each federal agency with jurisdiction over an aspect of aquaculture take regulatory action consistent with the requests in the petition.

Currently, there are over thirty-five species of transgenic fish being developed around the world and at least one company, A/F Protein, which is presently requesting approval from the FDA to market transgenic fish to consumers as food. These transgenic fish grow as much as ten to thirty times faster than normal salmon! Unintended releases of transgenic fish into the world's waters may cause significant impacts to the environment and endangered species. New studies have shown that transgenic fish are more aggressive, eat more food, and will attract more mates than wild fish.

In addition, these studies show that although transgenic fish will attract more mates, their offspring will be less fit and less likely to survive. As a result, scientists predict that transgenic fish will cause some species to become extinct within only a few generations. Once one species becomes extinct, other species will likely be affected. There are already 114 species of fish, including Atlantic salmon that are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Allowing transgenic fish in ocean pens may significantly increase this number of listed species.