Canada's salmon farmers have banded together to say they will not farm or sell genetically engineered (GE) salmon after the Canadian government approved production of GE salmon at AquaBounty Technologies’ facility in Prince Edward Island.
“Salmon farmer members of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), representing virtually all farmed salmon in Canada, do not farm or sell GE farmed salmon, and are not growing or researching GE salmon,” CAIA said in a statement. The organization declined to comment further to SeafoodSource.
Canada's major grocery chains, along with numerous restaurants, wholesalers, and suppliers, have also said they will not sell AquaBounty’s AquAdvantage salmon.
The approval of GE salmon for production and sale in Canada applies to one particular producer [AquaBounty], CAIA noted.
“We understand this decision was based on a rigorous scientific process through Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,” the collective said.
However, the Canadian government does not currently require labelling of GE products.
“We support transparency for consumers, and for our part, our producers know their markets and have ‘egg to plate’ traceability capability to demonstrate the origin of their product,” CAIA noted. “Our salmon farmers encourage consumers to ask retailers where their salmon originates when they purchase. We are reviewing our position on mandatory labeling, and recognize the United States and Europe who now require mandatory labeling for GE products."
Salmon farmers may be experiencing a decline in sales due to consumers who want to avoid GE salmon, some consumer groups have argued.
“Many consumers who want to avoid this GE salmon are telling us they they've stopped buying farmed salmon, or are skipping salmon altogether. Right now, avoiding farmed salmon is the easiest way for consumers to make a choice if they don't want to eat the GE salmon,” Lucy Sharratt, coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, told SeafoodSource.
“Only mandatory labeling will provide consumers with the information and transparency they're asking for, while at the same time alleviating this new problem for the industry,” Sharratt said. “The aquaculture industry needs to add their voice to the demand for mandatory GE food labeling in Canada. Without mandatory labelling, the industry needs to find a way to communicate directly to consumers about where the GE salmon is, or lose part of their market.”
AquaBounty said it will produce 250 metric tons of GE Atlantic salmon annually at its land-based facility in Rollo Bay, Prince Edward Island. The first harvest is expected in late 2020. The company said it supports the work and due diligence being conducted by CAIA in the sector.
"We support and respect the decision by CAIA and will continue to monitor the landscape," Dave Conley, spokesman for AquaBounty, told SeafoodSource.
Despite opposition to GE salmon in the U.S. and Canada, AquaBounty is gaining ground with both regulators and investors. In early March, the United States Food and Drug Administration lifted its import alert on AquAdvantage salmon, clearing the way for the GE salmon to be sold in the United States.
In addition, AquaBounty raised approximately USD 5.75 million (EUR 5.1 million) in its most recent offering of common public stock.
"The company currently expects to use the net proceeds of this offering to fully fund working capital costs associated with growing its first batches of fish at our Indiana [U.S.A.] and Rollo Bay farm sites and other general corporate purposes,” AquaBounty said in a statement.
