Despite facing a dwindling cash supply, which could cripple efforts by Aqua Bounty to bring its genetically modified AquAdvantage salmon to market, the FDA has announced its opinion in favor of the fish.

Garnering some of the most intense controversy over genetic modification, the Aquabounty AquAdvantage salmon—which would be the nation's first GMO animal allowed into the food system if approved by the FDA—may have to pull the plug on the project due to dwindling cash.

While California anxiously awaits next Tuesday's vote that could pass Proposition 37–the measure that would require the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms—the countdown continues for what could be the first FDA approved GMO animal, AquaBounty's AquAdvantage Salmon.

Although it has been 15 years since AquaBounty Technologies began the approval application process for its genetically engineered AquAdvantage salmon, the controversial fish appears to now be inching closer to a firm approval as the Senate just voted against a measure that would require more testing on the human health and environmental safety of the fish before approved.

The USDA has awarded AquaBounty Technologies, manufacturer of the controversial genetically modified AquAdvantage salmon, one of its 2011 Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants in the amount of $494,000, according to the agency's website.