Stop GE Fish

Experts Warn GE Fish Too Risky to Environment
CFS Calls for New Framework, Mandatory Environmental Impact Statement

The Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing at 10:30 AM today to discuss the environmental risks of genetically engineered (GE) fish, the first hearing of its kind in Congress.

“Members of Congress have once again raised the stakes in the GE fish debate on Capitol Hill,” said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety.  “FDA can no longer continue to ignore the environmental risks that GE fish pose.”

Subcommittee Chairman Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), a strong advocate for the responsible management of wild stocks has been a vocal critic of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) failure to adequately address the environmental risks posed by GE fish, most notably the current review of the AquAdvantage Salmon, produced by AquaBounty Technologies, Inc.  If approved, the GE salmon would be the first GE animal approved for human consumption by the FDA.  The company has also developed a genetically engineered trout and tilapia.

Read more »

Filed under: Congressional Action | Leave a Comment »

Alaska Senator Mark Begich celebrated Halloween by treating fellow Senators to “No Frankenfish” buttons. Begich has been a  champion of several Senate bills to protect fishers and consumers from  unlabeled, unwanted genetically engineered salmon.

Most recently, Sen. Begich introduced the Prevention of the Escapement of Genetically Altered Salmon in the United States Act (PEGASUS, S. 1717),
which would prevent the transport and sale of genetically engineered fish if FDA
mistakenly decides to approve the engineered salmon.  In addition to the PEGASUS
bill, Sen. Begich introduced a bill (S. 229) that would make labeling GE fish
mandatory under our national food laws.

Filed under: Congressional Action | Leave a Comment »

23 Members of Congress say “GE fish would not be in the public interest”

NEWLY PUBLISHED STUDIES HIGHLIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF ESCAPED GE FISH

Members of Congress turned up the heat on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) last Friday, sending strongly worded, bipartisan letters calling on the
agency to halt approval of a controversial genetically engineered (GE) salmon
under review.

“Members of Congress have once again raised the stakes in the GE salmon debate,” said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety.  “FDA simply cannot continue to ignore the growing calls to stop this misguided approval.”

Read more »

Filed under: Congressional Action | 1 Comment »