Alaska's congressional delegation is keeping up its battle to keep genetically modified salmon off the market.
Senators Mark Begich, D-Alaska, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined six other senators on July 15 in signing a letter to the federal Food and Drug Administration, warning the agency not to dismiss the clear congressional opinion opposing approval of genetically modified salmon.
Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, was one of 15 members of the House who signed a similar letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, also on July 15.
The agency is considering an application by Aqua Bounty, Inc. to grow genetically-engineered salmon in Panama for importation into the United States, with plans to eventually grow the fish in the U.S.
The genetically-altered fish would grow faster than natural fish and there are serious concerns about the impact of escaped fish on wild salmon stocks, the suitability of such fish for human consumption, and the FDA's approval process for the fish, Begich and Murkowski said.
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