its 172-page report, the FDA recognized an “extremely small” risk of AquAdvantage salmon escaping and establishing themselves as a manmade invasive species. This would require “escape (or intentional malicious release) of a large number of reproductively competent broodstock from the [Prince Edward Island] egg production facility.” High-security physical barriers make such an event unlikely, the report says.
Even if no genetically engineered fish ever escapes, says state Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), the mere presence of farmed salmon meat harms wild salmon by hamstringing efforts to preserve the streams in which the wild fish spawn. U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) has publicly expressed the same concern. Huffman recently introduced Assembly Bill 88—legislation that, if passed into law, would require any genetically modified salmon sold in California be labeled as such. Sen. Begich has introduced a similar bill that would require labeling of genetically engineered fish nationwide.
AquaBounty’s representatives have balked at the idea. In an email, Stotish said his company favors existing federal laws that require genetically engineered foods to be clearly labeled only if the product is “compositionally different.”
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