Canadians are consuming the first genetically modified animal allowed to become part of the world’s food supply. It is a genetically modified fish produced by AquaBounty Technologies and sold as Atlantic salmon. The company revealed that it has already sold 5.2 tons of this salmon which it brands as AquaAdvantage salmon. The fish has been modified to speed up its growth rate with a growth hormone gene from chinook salmon and a trigger to keep this growth hormone on from another fish called ocean pout. The result is a salmon that achieves market readiness in 18 months or about half the time the wild species or non-engineered species takes.
It took 25 years before the American and Canadian authorities approved the fish for consumption. There is no way, however, for the Canadian consumers to know whether they are buying the genetically modified fish because there is no requirement in Canada to label products as being genetically modified (GM). There are no such labelling requirements in the United States either, but the fish is not yet being sold in that country.
The introduction of the engineered salmon has created the expected controversy and debate with regard to safety and this time the question of transparency has also gained attention. Canadian shoppers are totally unaware of which salmon offered for sale is the genetically engineered fish. AquaBounty has not revealed the identity of its customers but Loblaw's, Metro, Sobey's, Costco, IGA and Wal-Mart, in Canada have indicated that they have not purchased the salmon, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Meanwhile in the United States, legal hurdles for sale of the salmon are being established. One senator has introduced within the federal spending bill requirements that the genetically modified fish cannot be sold until labelling policies are established and a plan developed for the public to be able to determine whether a fish has been genetically modified. In addition, lawsuits have already been filed. The genetically modified salmon will not be swimming smoothly into the US market.
Many scientists often maintain that genetically modified foods can be safely consumed. However, some scientists have concerns about the environmental impact of the genetically modified salmon. More specifically, they are aware that genetically modified salmon can reproduce and they consider that if allowed into the wild population, there can be impacts. For the time being, AquaBounty is promising strict containment of the engineered fish. However, as others remark, containment is never guaranteed. Natural disasters as well as human error can spoil the plans for strict containment.
Salmon have a complex life cycle which involves a return to the rivers in which they were spawned. Several other species of animals and man too depend on the upriver trips of the spawning salmon. What if a mixed breed of salmon no longer spawns? The environmental implications seem tremendous. If the larger genetically modified salmon were to escape, it could compete with the smaller wild salmon for food. The larger fish are likely to eat more and may be more successful in securing food. The wild salmon may find themselves displaced by the genetically modified salmon.
AquaBounty produces its genetically modified salmon in Brazil in facilities that are inland and away from the coast. Containment is easier to ensure under those circumstances, however, the company plans to raise the fish at facilities in Prince Edward Island. That location has more potential for an impact on wild salmon should there be a breach of containment. Fish are especially difficult to retrieve or control when they get into waters even if it is not their native habitat. The escaped genetically modified fish may be similar to the introduction of an invasive species. Environmentalists are concerned especially about escape and competition with wild salmon and pressure on wild salmon stocks.
The absence of labelling denies consumers the choice to buy or not buy the genetically modified fish. The fight to prevent labelling of genetically modified foods always seems a sneaky way to get persons to consume a genetically altered product without their knowledge. People will protest being tricked into buying a product they would not normally consume. This is a particularly sensitive issue regarding food. Australia and the European Union require that all GM food be labelled. Australia maintains that labelling is not to ensure safety of the product but “about helping consumers make an informed choice about the food they buy.”
The European Union, which requires labelling of genetically modified products, also declares that labelling is necessary “in order to enable consumers as well as professionals (e.g., farmers and food feed chain operators) to make an informed choice.” Presently, the absence of a labelling requirement in Canada would help AquaBounty as, according to CBC, the results of a survey indicate that “fewer than two in five Canadians” think genetically modified organisms are safe to eat. Canada and the United States have regulatory bodies to screen and evaluate the entry of genetically modified products in their food supply. But even those countries still have gaps in their policies which their citizens want remedied.
When we think that Canadians have been consuming the new salmon for months without their knowledge of its origin and modifications, we begin to realise that we too may be unaware whether the same product is already in our market. In this region, most of our food including salmon is imported. It was previously recognised that the CARICOM countries should have a policy on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Some of the countries already have draft policies and draft legislation on biosafety which includes genetic engineering. This progress may be slow, but at least steps are being taken to deal with the changing technologies regarding plants and animals and the effect of such technologies on our agriculture and food.
AquaBounty’s AquaAdvatage salmon is probably not the only genetically modified fish or animal that would reach the food supply. AquaBounty is just the first mover and with approval for their fish, other producers will be encouraged to submit their genetically modified animals for approval. It is ironic that, at least in the case of salmon, it is the overfishing of wild salmon and creation of man-made barriers to spawning, such as dams, that have led to farmed salmon and now to genetically modified salmon. Lack of efforts to conserve the natural wild Atlantic salmon leaves man with the choice of an engineered fish to meet the consumer demand for salmon. AquaBounty already engages in farming of salmon. The move to a bigger, faster-growing fish is just a business decision for them.
As the name implies, the AquaAdvantage salmon gives the company the advantage over its competitors in its ability to bring larger quantities of fish to market at a faster rate. Years ago, the rumours of this fish being created that would be twice as large as other salmon, whether wild or farmed, led to nicknames of “frankenfish” and “fake fish”. At the time, it seemed like science fiction, just research. Well AquaBounty stayed persistent and the big genetically modified salmon is on the plate. Not all the questions in the minds of consumers and environmentalists have been answered. We will see whether these groups will be as persistent as AquaBounty.
