Ottawa – Health authorities in Canada announced on Thursday they have approved the sale of genetically modified salmon in Canada. This makes salmon the first genetically altered animal to be approved for consumption in the country.

At a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that AquaAdvantage genetically modified salmon has been approved for sale as food in Canada for both humans and livestock.

Massachusetts-based AquaBounty’s genetically modified salmon eggs are produced at its Bay Fortune facility on Prince Edward Island and then shipped to a fish farm in Panama. The salmon are grown to adult size in 16 to 18 months, as compared to conventional fish that mature in up to three years.

In a statement released on May 19, Health Canada said: “GM foods that have been approved by Health Canada have been consumed in Canada for many years, and are safe and nutritious,” adding that “GM foods are part of the regular diet of Canadians.”

“Changes to the genes of plants and animals can improve food quality and production — for instance by reducing the need for pesticides, making crops resistant to drought, preventing bruising, or allowing foods to be grown more quickly,” read the statement.

    

Canada’s scientific investigation into the AquaBounty salmon included an investigation by Fisheries and Oceans Canada into the environmental impact of the GM salmon as well as any possible health risks associated with the egg production facility in Bay Fortune.

There is no requirement to label the AquaBounty salmon as being genetically modified if it is sold in retail stores in Canada. According to Canadian regulations, that is only required if the product poses a health risk such as a possible food allergy or if there are significant changes in the nutritional values of the food.

The Agriculture Minister, Lawrence MacAulay told reporters he had eaten food made with genetically altered crops before, and when asked if he would eat the salmon, he said, “Yes I would. Science has indicated it’s safe. I’ve eaten all kinds of cereals and stuff and I think I’m doing quite well.”

AquaBounty’s CEO Ronald L. Stotish thanked Canadian scientists for “carrying out their assessments diligently,” adding, “We look forward to bringing our nutritious salmon to consumers to enjoy in an environmentally responsible manner without damaging and exploiting the oceans.”

Despite Health Canada and the CFIA going forward and approving the sale of AquaBounty salmon, there are a couple of court cases still on the books in Canada and the U.S. In Canada, a challenge to the approval of the P.E.I. facility’s approval to grow the genetically altered salmon eggs was rejected but has now gone to an appeals court.

At least 60 groups, including Canadian ocean fisheries conservation, environmental and social justice groups have tried since 2010 to get the government to be more open with their assessments on the AquaBounty investigations. The Canadian opponents would like to completely block the transgenic salmon from ever being sold in Canada.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being sued by a number of groups for approving the first-ever genetically engineered food, an Atlantic salmon engineered to grow quickly in the country.