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Published: November 3, 2010
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On October 26, 2010, Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to halt its approval process for genetically engineered Atlantic Salmon produced by AquaBounty Technologies.
In a letter to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Senator Snowe said the FDA’s current review process, originally created to review applications for new animal drugs, was inadequate and inappropriate for the review at hand and urged the FDA to establish a targeted, detailed and transparent environmental review process for genetically engineered animals intended for human consumption, including a commitment to hold additional public hearings on the topic.
“Given the precedent-setting nature of this decision, the FDA would be remiss if it did not carry out an extremely robust and transparent review process specifically established to address the concerns and intricacies unique to this unprecedented situation,” said Senator Snowe. “This is simply an unsuitable process by which to evaluate the safety of food for human consumption.”
Senator Snowe’s letter also called on the FDA to pursue additional consultations with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization (NOAA) as required by law. “Transgenic fish have the potential to negatively affect our current wild capture fisheries, aquaculture operations, and other sectors of the economy that depend on healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems. Thus it is of paramount importance that this precedent-setting application be subject to a suitable, rigorous environmental review process, and that the FDA follow through with its legally-mandated obligation to consult with NOAA’s experts and report back to Congress on the extent and findings of those consultations,” added Senator Snowe.
source: Senator Olympia J. Snowe
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Published: November 3, 2010
Print
EmailOn October 26, 2010, Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to halt its approval process for genetically engineered Atlantic Salmon produced by AquaBounty Technologies.
In a letter to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Senator Snowe said the FDA’s current review process, originally created to review applications for new animal drugs, was inadequate and inappropriate for the review at hand and urged the FDA to establish a targeted, detailed and transparent environmental review process for genetically engineered animals intended for human consumption, including a commitment to hold additional public hearings on the topic.
“Given the precedent-setting nature of this decision, the FDA would be remiss if it did not carry out an extremely robust and transparent review process specifically established to address the concerns and intricacies unique to this unprecedented situation,” said Senator Snowe. “This is simply an unsuitable process by which to evaluate the safety of food for human consumption.”
Senator Snowe’s letter also called on the FDA to pursue additional consultations with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization (NOAA) as required by law. “Transgenic fish have the potential to negatively affect our current wild capture fisheries, aquaculture operations, and other sectors of the economy that depend on healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems. Thus it is of paramount importance that this precedent-setting application be subject to a suitable, rigorous environmental review process, and that the FDA follow through with its legally-mandated obligation to consult with NOAA’s experts and report back to Congress on the extent and findings of those consultations,” added Senator Snowe.
source: Senator Olympia J. Snowe
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