Whether genetically modified (GM) seafood ever makes its way into your favorite U.S. fish market, grocery store or restaurant may still be up in the air, but one thing should be certain: Whether you like the idea of GM seafood or not, it will make sense, if and when the time comes, to have it labeled.
We’ve heard all the pros and cons of the GM salmon issue: It’s a potential public health menace; it’s an environmental disaster in the making; it’s the product of years of careful testing and research, not some fly-by-night trend; it’s the future of farmed seafood, following the heels of GM land-based crops.
All interesting arguments with decent data to back them up, and in truth, it’s still anybody’s guess as to when — or even if — GM salmon will ever get the green light. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated it’s leaning in that direction, but I’ll believe it when I see it. There are plenty of legislators, including a strong anti-GM contingent from Alaska, demanding that so-called “Frankenfish” remain off the dinner table, and it’s a contentious issue that gets lots of media coverage.
But if GM salmon is not labeled as such I won’t be able to tell the difference, and that’s the problem. There are strong arguments on both sides of the issue, but the point of labeling goes beyond that debate. It doesn’t matter what you think of GM salmon — labeling simply makes sense, so consumers can stay informed, for good or bad.
If you’re not a fan of the concept of GM salmon, and worried about the health and safety aspects of the science, then the benefits of labeling are obvious: since GM salmon looks and, to all but the most discerning palates, tastes the same, American consumers will want to be sure they can spot it.
Even GM salmon supporters get something out of labeling. If the GM version really looks and tastes the same, and will help provide more food with no ill effects, it makes sense to use the label to trumpet that and show it off. Let the consumer see that there’s no difference, and in time the label will become a household word.
Regardless of your stance on the GM issue, there’s something to be gained from truthful labeling, and little to lose. Those who think it will kill sales should ask themselves if labeling salmon as farmed, a distinction with controversies of its own, has destroyed that industry (hint: it hasn’t). People won’t recoil in horror at the letters “GM,” either. If we do end up seeing GM salmon or other seafood, let’s make sure we all know what we’re eating.
