"Our perspective on Europe, frankly, is that for the entire range of biotech - whether you're talking about crops or fish or anything else, it's going to be at least a decade."

He does not believe that this is due to consumer resistance.

"I think it's actually retail chain resistance," said McGonigle. "There seems to be a perception among salmon farmers and retailers that they can judge consumer behaviour from polling. It's well established in social science literature that you can't really do that.