The idea of having genetically modified (GM) fish on the consumer market – the first would-be “transgenic” animal sold in the country – was explored from all sides at the FDA’s public hearing Monday. AquaBounty, the company seeking FDA permission to sell the ”frankenfish,” asserted that its product is identical to Atlantic salmon, except for the speed of its growth. The fish would be raised in physically contained tanks and would be sterile females, reducing the likelihood that they could, respectively, escape and reproduce. Critics countered that the company has not proved that the fish is safe for human consumption, or the environment – and need to consider the impact of possible escape.
The most recent episode of GAP TV – Whistle Where You Work – explored concerns regarding the impact of GM salmon. Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food & Water Watch discussed the problems with conventional salmon farming, and the added complications GM fish might cause. She also pointed out that inland farming is very difficult, and those who have tried in the past have used fish much smaller than salmon, which need a lot of room. Eric Hoffman, the genetic technology policy campaigner for Friends of the Earth, mapped out how the GM fish are produced and the fact that FDA is using AquaBounty’s own research. That’s right - no one is actually able to look at its process because it is propriety information.
Whistle Where You Work airs nationally on the Free Speech TV channel on the Dish Satellite Network, on over 70 community access stations around the country, and in parts of Europe. The show features panel discussions with nonprofit/media experts on topics related to whistleblowing, civil liberties, or general public interest issues. Click here to visit the show’s webpage.
Sarah Damian is Social and New Media Fellow for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower advocacy organization.
