WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the FDA announced their approval of genetically-modified salmon for human consumption:
“The United States has never approved a genetically-modified animal for human consumption before, and for good reason. Many Americans are troubled by how many of our crops are now genetically engineered, and are even more deeply troubled by the idea of bringing this new technology into the animal kingdom. Our fishing communities are very worried that if these ‘Frankenfish’ end up in the wild, growing twice as fast as our native salmon, they will devastate our ocean ecosystem. It’s outrageous that the FDA would approve this product, and even moreso that they wouldn’t at least make sure consumers have the right to know when a salmon they buy actually contains the DNA of an eel-like bottom dweller.”