Aquaculture for all

US Government Accused of Un-Scientific Delay in GE Salmon Approval

Salmonids Breeding & genetics Post-harvest +3 more

US - Aquabounty, a biotechnology company focused on enhancing productivity in the aquaculture market, has accused the US government of delaying the approval of GM salmon due to un-scientific reasons.

Lucy Towers thumbnail

Ron Stotish, Chief Executive Officer of AquaBounty, said: It has been two years since the public hearings in September 2010 where the FDA stated that our AquAdvantage Salmon was safe as food, safe to the fish and safe to the environment. In May 2012, we were encouraged when the FDA Commissioner was quoted as saying that they would very soon publish the Environmental Assessment (EA) the final key event prior to the granting of approval of our application. Four months later, the EA has not yet been published.

The Company has not been provided any update on the status of the application by the FDA. As previously reported, AquaBounty has received acceptance letters for all of the major technical sections of its application. We therefore believe that reasons other than the science-based evaluation of the application are impeding its approval. We are frustrated and disappointed in the delay, and we feel that the FDA and the US astration have a responsibility to inform us why they have not yet released the EA and moved forward our application.

We continue to pursue all avenues and remain confident that, were approval to be received, the market potential for this product and AquaBountys other biotechnology-based solutions would be substantial.

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