Second invitation to sign on: Deadline October 7, 2011 via the form below.

Invitation to groups in Canada: We invite environmental, conservation, health, consumer, and public interest groups, industry associations, and aboriginal peoples’ organizations in Canada to sign the following statement of opposition to genetically engineered (GE) fish. Click here for more information on GE fish.

Click here to see the groups that have signed already.

No GE Fish Research, Production, Consumption in, and Export from, Canada

A genetically engineered Atlantic salmon may soon be approved for human consumption in the U.S.. This would be the first GE food animal approved anywhere in the world. The U.S. company AquaBounty plans to produce all of their GE Atlantic salmon eggs at their facility in Prince Edward Island. The Canadian government could already be reviewing the GM salmon for approval, but Environment Canada and Health Canada are keeping this information secret.

• Consumers do not want to eat GE fish. The aquaculture industry itself recognizes that there is no consumer demand for GE fish.
• There are serious questions about the safety of eating GE fish and the ability of our governments to assess this safety.
• Fish escapes are a serious threat to wild fish populations, a risk that cannot be eliminated. No containment measures are failsafe.

Please fill out the below form if you agree to the following statement: (for more information or with questions and to get further involved, please contact Lucy Sharratt, CBAN Coordinator)

To protect the health and future of our food system and our aquatic ecosystems, we, the undersigned:

1. State our categorical objection to the introduction of genetically engineered (GE) fish into our food system;

2. Object to the raising of GE fish, whether in open netpens or land-based facilities; object to the production of GE fish eggs in Canada and their export from Canada to other countries, and object to the use of public resources for the research and development of GE fish.

3. We call upon Environment Canada to reject any request for permission to commercially produce genetically engineered fish or fish eggs.

4. We call upon Health Canada to reject any application for approval of genetically engineered fish for human consumption.

5. We call upon the Federal government to stop any current risk assessments of GE fish.

Sign-ons are accepted on an ongoing basis.