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NEWS: Groups rally in PEI against GM salmon

CTV reports today that, “A coalition of consumer and environmental groups rallied in Prince Edward Island on Thursday to condemn a U.S. company’s plan to produce genetically modified salmon, the first transgenic animal set for human consumption. …Genes from Pacific salmon and ocean pout have been added to Atlantic salmon to make it grow twice as fast.” “The coalition opposing AquaBounty maintains there are ‘gaps in the science’ cited by the FDA in (recently) deeming the fish safe. …PEI environment advocates fear the province’s ecosystem could be at risk, since Aqua Bounty intends to produce all the genetically modified fish eggs at the Bay Fortune facility (in PEI). The eggs would then be shipped to Panama for growing out – getting the fish to sellable size – and processing before the fish enters the U.S. market.” “The FDA indicated earlier this month that the salmon is safe to eat, though it won’t make a final ruling until later this month, after a series of public hearings on the issue. …The coalition is planning to attend the public hearings, which start in Maryland on Sunday.” Leo Broderick of Prince Edward Island and vice-chair of the Council of Canadians will travel to Maryland to attend the hearings where dozens of US groups will testify about the problems with the GE salmon and the gaps in the science. He says, “I am going to the hearings to make sure we can get as much information as possible for Canadians and Islanders about the risks of GE salmon. Canadians and Islanders haven’t been consulted at all about AquaBounty’s plan. The US hearings could have a big impact on PEI and Canada and I think someone from the Canada and Island should be there. If the US approves GE salmon, PEI could soon become known around the world as the home of Frankensalmon.” The CTV report can be read at http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100916/genetically-modified-salmon-100916/. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) media release is on our website at http://canadians.org/media/other/2010/16-Sept-10.html.