Alaska Rep. Young, Interior lawmakers oppose genetically modified 'frankenfish'

UNEAU — A handful of federal and state lawmakers have increased scrutiny of a company’s plan to sell genetically modified salmon in the United States.

Three state representatives from Fairbanks have backed a resolution asking the U.S Food and Drug Administration to drop the plan. Alaska hosts some of the nation’s most robust fisheries, and the legislators cite local economic concerns and broader health questions.

U.S. Rep. Don Young on Tuesday said he had proposed bills in Congress that would ban genetically engineered fish or at least require the products be labeled as such.

The state resolution, from Rep. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, focuses on the Massachusetts-based AquaBounty Technologies. The measure asks the FDA to reject the company’s application and said federal commissioners should work more closely with the National Marine Fisheries Service to study the environmental risks associated with engineered seafood.

State House Republican leaders have scheduled a hearing for today for the resolution before the House’s special fisheries committee. Reps. Bob Miller and Steve Thompson, a Democrat and Republican from Fairbanks, are two co-sponsors. They and Kawasaki all serve on the fisheries committee, and Thompson is chairman.

Young said this week his bills also serve as a response to AquaBounty’s application.

“Frankenfish are uncertain and unnecessary,” he said in a statement. “The assessments of these ‘fish’ are flawed at best, and the threat to the population of our wild salmon stock is unacceptable.”

Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Alaska Rep Young Interior lawmakers oppose genetically modified frankenfish


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