A genetically engineered animal for human consumption was approved by U.S. regulators for the first time, allowing AquaBounty Technologies Inc. to begin marketing its faster-growing salmon — a creation critics have dubbed "Frankenfish."

The Food and Drug Administration cleared AquAdvantage Salmon, which has added genes that allows the fish to more quickly expand to produce more flesh. It's a victory for AquaBounty after a two-decade struggle to be able to sell the animal to farmers.

The FDA "determined that they have met the regulatory requirements for approval, including that food from the fish is safe to eat," said Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. Shares of Intrexon Corp., which holds a 58 percent stake in AquaBounty, rose 4.5 percent to $36.88 at 3:15 p.m. in New York.