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GMO Salmon Production Expanding In Canada

Salmon

Massachusetts-based company AquaBounty wants to expand its genetically modified salmon operation to a 38-year-old fish hatchery on Prince Edward Island.

AquaBounty's initial request to expand their production at their Bay Fortune, P.E.I. site was denied because of environmental impact concerns about the availability of groundwater and the amount of electricity needed to repurpose the site.

The increase in production comes in the wake of the Food and Drug Administration approval to sell AquaBounty's AquAdvantage salmon - which grows twice as fast as conventional salmon - in the U.S.

It's the first time a genetically engineered animal has been approved for human consumption.

Since the FDA approval of AquaAdvantage sales, a coalition of environmental organizations has sued the federal agency, claiming it failed to consider all of the environmental risks and impacts of producing genetically modified salmon.

Environmental officials say no genetically-modified production will happen at the new Rollo Bay West location. Instead, AquaBounty will use the former hatchery to raise 13,000 conventional salmon to provide eggs to be transferred to its Bay Fortune plant.

The public comment period on AquaBounty's proposal ends April 15, and officials expect a decision about the project could be made as early as April 22.

Read More:



  • AquaBounty, GMO Salmon Producer, Applies to Expand Production on P.E.I. (CBC)
  • 7 Things You Need to Know about GMO Salmon (Time)


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