"Frankenfish" A Risk to Wild Alaska Salmon and Alaska Jobs

Statement

A decision to approve a hybrid Atlantic salmon as the first genetically engineered animal for human consumption is a risky precedent, a threat to Alaska wild salmon and comes with little if any public participation, according to Sen. Begich. "Let's call this genetically engineered fish for what it is: "Frankenfish'," Begich said. "Approval of genetically modified salmon, the first such hybrid to be considered for human consumption, is unprecedented, risky and a threat to the survival of wild species." The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) holds hearings later this month on whether to okay a hybrid Atlantic salmon modified with a Chinook salmon growth gene and an antifreeze gene from an eel, the ocean pout. The genetic modifications are intended to speed the growth rate of the hybrid-engineered species. Begich urged greater participation, protesting that the public has only been given a few days of public hearings to digest a 180-page technical report. "Alaska made the right decision 20 years ago when we banned farmed salmon and other finfish in our waters and focused instead on management practices that sustain and grow our wild salmon," Begich said.

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