NYT on Opposition to Frankenfish

May 9, 2001
The New York Times

Moratorium on Alteration of Salmon
By ANDREW POLLACK

More than 60 environmental and fishermen's groups will ask the Food and Drug
Administration today for a moratorium on the approval of any genetically
modified fish, arguing that the environmental and health risks have not been
adequately studied.

The food and drug agency is considering a company's petition for approval of
a salmon with a gene that allows the fish to reach full size and maturity
much more quickly than a natural salmon. If approved, the salmon, being
developed by Aqua Bounty Farms of Waltham, Mass., would be the first
genetically modified animal to reach American dinner plates.

"This is a precedent-setting regulatory action by the F.D.A.," said Joseph
Mendelson, legal director of the Center for Food Safety, the Washington
group that is leading the action.

Elliot Entis, president of Aqua Bounty, said the food and drug agency had
already promised to do a thorough review of all the health and environmental
aspects of the fish. "What we really have here is an attempt to grab a
headline," Mr. Entis said of the environmental petition.

The groups are filing a legal petition, which requires a response from the
food and drug agency in 180 days, arguing that the current regulations are
inadequate to deal with genetically modified fish.

"There's no law governing these particular fish," said Matt Rand,
biotechnology campaign manager for the National Environmental Trust.

The Food and Drug Administration is regulating the fish because it considers
the added gene to be an animal drug. But the agency does not have deep
experience in assessing environmental consequences.

The groups argue that the fish could damage the environment. Farmed fish,
they say, inevitably escape into the wild. Computer simulations have
suggested that these fast- growing genetically engineered salmon might
out-compete natural salmon for food and for mates.

Mr. Entis said the salmon his company was developing were not larger than
other salmon at sexual maturity, they just grew faster. In addition, he
said, the females will be sterile to prevent reproduction.