Environmental Groups Release Canada’s Environmental Assessment of GM Salmon
The Center for Food Safety, Food & Water Watch and Friends of the
Earth (FOE) have authored a May 28, 2015, letter to the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), claiming that a draft risk assessment
conducted by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
questions the health and welfare of AquaBounty Technologies Inc.’s
genetically modified (GM) salmon.
According to FOE, the “never-before-seen” environmental review
concludes that AquaBounty’s GM salmon are not only “more susceptible
to Aeromonas salmonicida, a type of disease-causing bacteria,” but
exhibit “diminished growth rates” and “widely varied performance.” The
assessment also reportedly registers “uncertainty” about the function of
the gene construct, in addition to faulting the management and operation
of AquaBounty facilities for allegedly failing to supply “internal compliance
documentation, such as a daily check-list to ensure that all relevant
mechanical barriers are in place and functioning properly.” As a result of
these findings, the environment groups call on FDA to reject AquaBounty’s
New Animal Drug Application (NADA).
“The findings from the Canadian risk assessment show that FDA has
based its assessment of this totally unnecessary technology on blind
trust,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter in
a May 28 press release. “It’s clear that there are unique safety issues that
FDA has failed to consider, which is why we are calling on the agency to
terminate its review of GMO salmon.” See Food & Water Watch Press
Release, May 28, 2015.
Issue 566
