Today, the Eco Women welcome Eco Karen, who is posting about a rather scary issue.
If the FDA approves it on September 20th** — just six days from now — genetically engineered (GE) salmon will soon be available for you to serve for dinner. That’s right, in just 18 months, you could be eating FRANKENFISH!
(** See below for undated info on hearing dates.)
Wait. You don’t like salmon? You hate fish? Oh…this is not just about salmon. It’s about biotechnology. It’s about fooling with nature. It’s about our food supply. It’s not just about the GE salmon itself but a bigger issue with this technology. It may apply to you too. Read on.
What does this mean?
I heard about GE salmon or “frankenfish” that Aqua Bounty Technology (ABTX on London’s Stock Exchange) was trying to push the FDA to approve back in August. I scoffed at the idea because, I naively thought, “Pffft. Who, in their right mind in our government would approve this?” Man, I couldn’t have been more wrong! I’ll get to the actual franken-salmon thing later, but the FDA is actually considering approving this technology? To “invent’ new species for us to consume as food…to create a brand new species for us to eat, because you know, we are “running out of food” to eat?
Do you know what this means? I am afraid that, if approved, this technology will entice other industries, if not already, to aggressively invest millions of dollars into developing genetically engineered meats like cows, pigs, chickens, lambs, and what else? Do I foresee even ‘genetically engineered humans’ for our future consumption? Or how about just a chunk of meat-looking-thing for sale in the meat section at your local supermarket? That is totally disgusting and wrong on so many levels that I cannot believe I even typed the words here. It makes me nauseous even thinking about it. But you know what? I thought that back in August about this salmon! This is a total “Brave New World” we live in! It’s bad enough that we are dealing with GMO’s in foods that sneak into cereal boxes and cookies that we feed to our kids. And now, we will be eating fish fillets that are laden with growth hormones and two different species of fish that were bred and then forced to grow twice the size of a normal fish?
OK. Before I pop another vein, let me tell you some facts that we are “allowed” to know….because, you know, some things are, ummm….. “p.r.o.p.r.i.e.t.a.r.y.” *air quoting and rolling eyes in disgust*
What are the facts? (my thoughts in italics):
- Aqua Bounty Technology (ABTX) or Aqua Advantage® based in Waltham, MA has invested 50 million dollars in the last 14 years to come up with this transgenic technology and is in line to make millions more, if not billions, if the FDA approves.
- Transgenic or genetically engineered salmon has combined genes from Chinook salmon (to produce growth hormone) and eel-like, ocean pout (to produce antifreeze protein), which will make GE salmon produce growth hormone ALL THE TIME. Normally, salmon produces growth hormones only during the warmer weather and the production turns off during the cold temperatures, hence, longer time for it to grow to its adult size. But frankenfish will grow bigger in half the time, like in 18 months vs. 3 years. (Yielding more money faster for the bang!)
- Purdue University and the National Academy of Sciences report that transgenic fish released into the ocean can threaten the natural habitat and destroy the natural population to extinction. (Because frankenfish would be more aggressive and take away the food supply from other fish. And although ABTX says GE salmon are sterile and will not be able to escape, Purdue University indicated that farmed salmon escape and get released into the wild all the time and GE salmon will create a new species altogether when the supposedly sterile females mate in the wild. How many times have we witnessed botched science experiments? Are they willing to guarantee that ALL of them will be STERILE? I don’t think so.)
- ABTX has been testing the same technology in trout and arctic char in its Prince Edward Island farm facility. (And what else are they experimenting with? I read somewhere shrimp are also being used for this purpose.)
- The FDA has ONLY data from ABTX for this approval process. (Isn’t that kind of unethical? Conflict of interest, anyone? Why don’t they consider other research findings, like Purdue University’s too?)
- The FDA’s 60 day public notice period ends on September 20th with an actual public hearing (see the details below) — a period when we are allowed to voice our opinions through oral presentation (apply to present by September 16th), e-mails, and phone calls. (How sneaky are they to keep the public in the dark and give us only 60 days to respond when it took ABTX years to prepare for this big shebang?)
Why am I opposed to genetically engineered salmon?
I’m sorry but genetically engineered a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. is not what I want to put in my body nor into my family’s bodies, hence my opposition to Monsanto. I’m not a geneticist or a veterinarian but there is something wrong with a grotesquely large man-made fish that was bred from two different species. Although I don’t eat that much fish anymore, when I do, I don’t want to wonder if it’s the real thing or some scientific experiment. And how about my kids? How much of this type of scientifically-invented petri dish foods will they eat throughout their lives when we are starting to feed them now? What will happen to their own genes and health of their bodies when they are at our age? How will their cells respond to all the genetically-manipulated proteins and hormone-laden foods they’ve eaten all these years?
Sure, the company says the GE salmon is just like the real salmon and there’s no difference in the nutrients and taste. But how about their protein make-up? Their genetic make-up? The company says even the genetic make-up is the same but didn’t they say that they used TWO different genes from TWO different species of fish? How could the genetic make-up be the same as the Chinook salmon?
What do you think?
Would you eat this fish? Would you eat anything that was grown with this type of technology? It’s not happening just to fish. It’s happening with corn, soy, barley, and on produce farms right now. But these are still considered as experiments. There are no long term effect studies on humans ingesting these types of animal foods. Even the scientists at Purdue University agree on this.
Still not sure? How about this analogy, then? Sports. If this was a sporting event, — unlike to some, it’s not a life-and-death situation like eating, in my book — steroids and growth hormones would definitely be considered as disqualifying factors. Are they not? I mean, didn’t Roger Clemens just get indicted for perjury for lying about steroid use while playing for the Yankees? Didn’t athletes get their medals taken away from the Olympics because of doping? How is it that it’s NOT OK for athletes to use performance enhance drugs but we can ingest them from foods?
My last words…
My husband’s family is from the Pacific Northwest. People from the Northwest are very proud of their forests and their fishing. There is no substitute for wild caught Alaskan King or Chinook or Coho salmon. The annual salmon runs are big events in town. More people have salmon smokers in their backyards than BBQ grills. There are fish hatcheries where they help salmon to hatch and release the young into the wild. (Why can’t they improve on this technology to increase salmon population and not GE technology?) I used to be able to go to a nearby fishing dock and buy the freshest, just caught salmon, right off the boat. It’s not so easy anymore. The salmon population has been dwindling. However, I think those fishermen who might be suffering will still tell you that even with the dwindling supply, genetically altered salmon is sacrilegious and is not the answer to the shortage. Even though ABTX claims to have solved the salmon shortage problem with the technology, it will actually kill the salmon industry, wild or farmed, because people, like myself, will be skeptical of eating ANY salmon since these GE salmon will not be labeled as such. And how about destroying biodiversity and affecting the wild and natural salmon? Would I want to eat wild salmon, then?
So what can you do?
Let me leave you with links where you can read more on this issue.
- Watch this interview with Eric Hoffman of Friends of the Earth and Patty Lovera of Food and Water Watch.
- Check Salmon Nation for more info on what Purdue University’s researches have found. But if you want to read the actual paper from Purdue University, click here.
- Q & A from Greenpeace
- Curious what GMO does? Read what Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says here.
Also, if you are mad as hell like I am, here are some links where you can go and yell and holler like I did.
- If you think this GE technology is outrageous, contact the FDA and let them know how you feel. http://www.fda.gov
- Sign the petition and send a letter to President Obama since he really has the ultimate power in the decision making process. http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org
- Send this letter to FDA Veterinary Medicine http://action.foe.org, who will investigate this application.
Share this post with all your contacts and have them yell too. Share it on your Facebook and Twitter.
Don’t take my word for it. Do your research and be scared … because, I am.
Hearing Dates: from the FDA website…
September 19th – 20th, 2010 - the committee will receive an orientation on both general scientific issues surrounding genetically engineered animals and on September 20, 2010, the Committee will consider issues regarding the safety and effectiveness of the new animal drug that is the subject of new animal drug application concerning AquaAdvantage salmon produced by AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (http://www.fda.gov/AdvisoryCommittees/Calendar/ucm223823.htm)
Labeling issue hearing on September 21st – FDA to explain the relevant legal principles for food labeling and to solicit information and views from interested persons on the application of these principles to the labeling of food made from AquaAdvantage Salmon. (http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm222601.htm)
November 22, 2010 – Last date to submit written comments on the labeling of food made from AquaAdvantage Salmon to Docket No: FDA-2010 -N-0385, identify your comments by this docket number. Submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov, or submit written comments to the Division of Dockets Management, Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Many thanks to Eco Karen for her detailed analysis! The Eco Women believe this is an important issue and hope that you’ll take a couple of minutes to click the links to voice your disapproval. It’s really fast and easy and your vote could make all the difference!
Ecokaren is a green blogger, eco-crafter on Etsy, a mom to two greenagers and a wife to an accidental recycler. You can follow her on Twitter and be her friend on Facebook, if you want to. If not, that’s ok. She still likes you.
