The Sorting Table delves into commercial fishing news from coast to coast. The editorial staff of National Fisherman invites you to share your insights on what’s going on in the industry.
CategoriesRecent EntriesCatch shares: A nation dividedSupporting cast growingGetting ready for the rallyWhat's next for Maine's shrimpers?"That conversation is going to have to happen"California cannabis cultivation compromising cohos? No accounting for fund mismanagementAt least put a label on itWhetting your app-etite for Copper River salmonCod cuts illustrate need for March 21 fishermen's rallyRecent CommentsMike Dolan on NOAA is all apologiesBrian on Introducing the iLobsterBen on Introducing the iLobsterBeringFisherman on Groundfish catch shares going bi-coastal Dick Allen on Jane, doh!National Fisherman on Jane, doh!Wreckfish on Jane, doh!Sierra Anderson on Facing factsken grimshaw on Tough loveJessica on Recovery in a snapArchivesMarch 2012February 2012January 2012December 2011November 2011October 2011September 2011August 2011July 2011June 2011« Whetting your app-etite for Copper River salmon |Main| No accounting for fund mismanagement »February 16, 2012At least put a label on itLabels are a big deal in the seafood industry, and they need to be. Since imported products make up 86 percent of seafood consumed by Americans, labels — like the Gulf of Maine Sustainably Harvested and Gulf (of Mexico) Wild — help us tell which fish comes from U.S. fishermen who are using sustainable methods.
Though genetically engineered salmon hasn't been approved for human consumption yet, last fall the FDA said the fish is safe to eat. And according to Food & Water Watch, the FDA is on the brink of approving the fast-growing, genetically altered AquaAdvantage salmon that is under review.
I don't know whether "safe to eat" means it's 100 percent safe or if it's simply "safe enough" by FDA standards (maybe we don't know the long-term effects). But that's besides the point because I don't think there's any way we can guarantee that none of these fish will ever escape into the wild. There will be precautions, but why take that chance at all?
If we can't stop it, we shouldn't have to unknowingly buy it. Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation, Food, Inc.) and Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farm are circulating a petition asking the FDA to label genetically modified food (the AquaAdvantage salmon would be the first genetically altered food on U.S. market if it's approved). Here's the link if you're interested in signing it too:
http://signon.org/sign/tell-the-fda-that-we?source=s.em.cp&r_by=2598302
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