GE Salmon Will Not Feed the
World outlines several reasons why this transgenic fish is likely to be
more expensive to produce than perceived, as well as problematic for the
environment, fishing communities and consumers.
The report was released
a day after Scottish MP Rob Gibson motioned to petition the Scottish
Government to monitor the FDA's approval process, noting that escapees
are likely to occur through time and could easily reach the shores of
Scotland, "altering forever the genetic integrity of wild Atlantic
salmon and of quality Scottish farmed salmon."
"The
company producing this experimental fish, AquaBounty, is the only one
who will be profiting from it, despite misleading claims that this
product could be a means to feed growing populations around the world,"
said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Europe.
Since
GE salmon can require large amounts of food, display deformities and
likely have higher oxygen demands, they can be costly to produce. These
projected costs, combined with the various potential human health and
ecological concerns associated with GE fish, will not likely add up to a
more financially advantageous product for growers or consumers.
Furthermore,
farmed salmon in general may not be as nutritious or safe as wild
salmon. They contain on average 35 percent fewer omega-3 fatty acids -
which are important for human health, but not produced by the body.
Also, farmed salmon often contain higher levels of contaminants in their
fat (which they can have more of than wild salmon), including 10 times
the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). GE salmon are also known
to have higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1, which has been
associated with increased risk of certain types of cancer.
These
worrying food safety issues are compounded by the environmental damage
GE salmon would add to the already unsustainable salmon farming
industry. The small, wild fish used in salmon feed are a major food
source for marine mammals, birds and larger fish as well as low-income,
food insecure populations around the world. In 2006, the aquaculture
sector alone consumed nearly 90 percent of small prey fish captured
worldwide. GE salmon may require about five times the amount of feed as a
non-altered salmon to grow faster. This will further exacerbate the
decline of available wild fish for marine wildlife and people in
countries that need it most. If fish are not used in feed, it is
entirely likely that the fish would be fed on industrial soya-which is
associated with serious environmental and human rights impacts as well.
Escapes of GE salmon into the wild could also threaten wild salmon, by
competing for food, habitat and mates.
"GE salmon is an
inefficient way to produce food that comes with more costs than
benefits," says Hauter. "We should be concerned about protecting
consumers and our wild fish populations rather than pushing forward to
approve this potentially dangerous product."
Read the report - http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/world/europe/factsheets/ge-salmon-will-not-feed-the-world-europe/
Brussels - Food & Water Europe released a report today outlining
why the genetically engineered (GE) salmon currently being considered by
the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval as a human food
will not alleviate global hunger.
