For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s Genetic Engineering Page and our Food Safety Research Center Page.

Seattle — Seattle City Council adopted a resolution today opposing the commercial production of genetically engineered (GE) salmon.  A proposal is currently before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would allow GE salmon commercial production. The Mayor concurred with the resolution.

The City’s action supports a bipartisan coalition, supported by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, which is seeking to ban the genetically engineered fish or require it to be labeled as transgenic. More than 400,000 fishermen, environmentalists, food safety advocates and others have written to the FDA with concerns about the FDA’s preliminary finding that this project should be allowed to proceed.

“This is a threat to the livelihood of Northwest and Alaska fishermen,” said
Councilmember Richard Conlin, sponsor of the resolution. “I’m also deeply concerned about potential health concerns related to consuming genetically engineered salmon.  That’s why we felt the need to act.”

AquaBounty Technologies Inc., is seeking permission from the FDA to alter Atlantic salmon with genes taken from the Pacific Chinook salmon and the eel-like Ocean Pout. Adding these growth genes from other species causes fish to produce growth hormones continuously, allowing them to grow larger and faster than natural salmon.