The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently removed the final barriers for raising and selling AquaBounty’s GMO salmon in the US. These genetically engineered salmon grow faster and use less resources, while providing a healthy food that is indistinguishable from conventional salmon.
On this topic, Anastasia Bodnar wrote Fast-growing genetically engineered salmon approved, which describes the health and environmental risk analysis that went into approval of the fish in the US and in Canada. She also created the AquAdvantage Salmon Regulatory Timeline Infographic. Guest expert Richard Green added a call to action in his article Ask your supermarket to stock GMO salmon.
Now, Know Ideas Media has added to the conversation with the video below. Nick Saik encourages viewers to “do something real for science today” by using Richard’s template to contact your grocery store and ask for fast-growing genetically engineered salmon.
I’ve contacted my grocer. But I used my own letter–I haven’t seen the template one, but I like to emphasize that SeafoodWatch considers the recirculating tank salmon a “best choice”.
They replied with a non-committal (but not dismissive) letter. And they said that they work with the Sustainable Fisheriers Partnership (SFP: https://www.sustainablefish.org/). Does anyone know where they stand on tanks? Maybe they are worth having a conversation with too?
That’s a great idea, Mary. Similarly, I’ve seen suggestions that people contact sustainable forestry organizations to encourage them to support GE chestnut. I looked at the SFP website and they do have an aquaculture page, but it doesn’t discuss land-based aquaculture. https://www.sustainablefish.org/Programs/Aquaculture