At a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that AquaAdvantage genetically modified salmon has been approved for sale as food in Canada for both humans and livestock.
Massachusetts-based AquaBounty’s genetically modified salmon eggs are produced at its Bay Fortune facility on Prince Edward Island and then shipped to a fish farm in Panama. The salmon can grown to adult size in 16 to 18 months, compared with up to three years for fish in the wild.
In a statement released on May 19, Health Canada said: “GM foods that have been approved by Health Canada have been consumed in Canada for many years, and are safe and nutritious,” adding that “GM foods are part of the regular diet of Canadians.”
“Changes to the genes of plants and animals can improve food quality and production — for instance by reducing the need for pesticides, making crops resistant to drought, preventing bruising, or allowing foods to be grown more quickly,” the statement said.
Canada’s scientific investigation into the AquaBounty salmon included an investigation by Fisheries and Oceans Canada into impacts on the environmental from GM salmon as well as any possible health risks associated with the egg production facility in Bay Fortune.
There is no requirement to label the AquaBounty salmon as being genetically modified if it is sold in retail stores in Canada. According to Canadian regulations, that is only required when the product poses a health risk such as allergies or if there are significant changes in the nutritional values of the food.
Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay told reporters he had eaten food made with genetically altered crops before and said he would eat the salmon.
“Science has indicated it’s safe,” MacAulay said.
“I’ve eaten all kinds of cereals and stuff and I think I’m doing quite well,” he said.
AquaBounty CEO Ronald Stotish thanked Canadian scientists for “carrying out their assessments diligently,” adding, “We look forward to bringing our nutritious salmon to consumers to enjoy in an environmentally responsible manner without damaging and exploiting the oceans.”
Despite Health Canada and the CFIA going forward and approving the sale of AquaBounty salmon, there still are legal challenges to GM salmon pending in Canadian and U.S. courts.
In Canada, a challenge to the approval of the PEI facility’s approval to grow the genetically altered salmon eggs was rejected but has been appealed.
At least 60 groups, including Canadian ocean fisheries conservation, environmental and social justice groups have tried since 2010 to get the government to be more open about their AquaBounty investigations.
The Canadian opponents would like to completely block the transgenic salmon from ever being sold in that country.
In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has been sued by a number of groups over its decision to permit the raising of genetically engineered Atlantic salmon.
