The hearing was scheduled to address the environmental risks surrounding GE fish, including the impact on wild fish stocks, fisheries and the marine ecosystem. U.S. Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska — chairman of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard and a staunch opponent of GE fish who has introduced legislation targeting GE fish — lead the hearing. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine also participated and asked questions.

Stotish testified that production of AquAdvantage Salmon — the eggs would be produce in Canada and then delivered to Panama for grow-out to market size and processing — will involve “simultaneous, multiple and redundant” containment strategies to adequately mitigate the environmental risk. “These measures consist of producing triploid, all-female salmon that will be reared in a land-based aquaculture system itself possessed of redundant physical containment measures engineered and managed to confine the fish to the culture systems,” he said. “Furthermore, the facilities are located in geographical areas that are highly unfavorable to the survival, establishment and spread of AquAdvantage Salmon should there be an escape.”

Last September, U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists preliminary determined that AquAdvantage Salmon is safe for human consumption, but an FDA advisory committee subsequently determined that more research is needed. It’s been 16 years since AquaBounty submitted its first GE fish study to the FDA.

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