URGENT! BOYCOTT AQUABOUNTY GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SALMON

AquaBounty Technologies (AQB) has created a genetically engineered (GE) species of "salmon" approved by the FDA for human consumption. This new lab-made transgenic animal contains the DNA of a Chinook Salmon and an eel-like Ocean Pout placed within an Atlantic salmon creating an unnatural combination that would never occur in nature. In November 2020, the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled in favor of Tribes and environmental groups declaring the approval of genetically engineered salmon unlawful, based on several environmental law violations. However, the ruling does not prevent GE salmon from being sold in the US in the meantime while environmental reviews are underway. As of May 2021, AquaBounty claims it has begun the first harvest of their GE salmon for the U.S. market, even in the face of major public opposition and lack of consent by Indigenous people and consumers. AquaBounty may be selling their GE salmon to restaurants or food service companies where labels on menus are not required. AquaBounty wants you to believe that they are offering a sustainable solution to feeding the world, however these facilities require huge amounts of energy, water, and other unsustainable inputs to operate, including relying on industrially grown GE soy fish feed that contributes to deforestation and ecosystem degradation. AquaBounty aims to expand globally; their GE salmon has recently been approved for sale in Brazil, and they are establishing projects with Argentina, China, & Israel. The approval of this first-of-its-kind genetically engineered animal species is a historical moment that will set a precedent for future approval attempts and regulation of novel GE species.

AquaBounty’s genetically engineered salmon are NOT a solution to the future of the food system. We must act now to #BoycottGMOSalmon and #Protect&RestoreWildSalmon!

THE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER TO BLOCK THIS FRANKENFISH AND SHUT AQUABOUNTY DOWN!

Why boycott?

A boycott is a powerful action we can participate in as collective individuals to block AquaBounty and genetically engineered fish from moving forward in our communities by confirming where it is being sold and refusing to ever buy it. It is also a way to show that genetically engineered salmon is not viable and investors should pull out and bankrupt this initiative.

How to boycott?

• Sign this public pledge to boycott genetically engineered salmon and make a commitment to not purchase/consume genetically engineered salmon from any restaurant, grocery store, food distributor or other food establishment. (1) Ask and confirm if they are selling genetically engineered salmon, (2) communicate to the owner/supervisor that you are participating in a global boycott of GE salmon, (3) ask them to join the boycott!

• If you confirm a food establishment is serving genetically engineered fish let us know! You can go further by boycotting the entire food establishment until they commit to not source it.

• Encourage this boycott in your community by engaging friends, family, and acquaintances. Share this pledge with them! If you have relationships with chefs tell them to sign on to the CHEF pledge! (links below)

Why are AquaBounty's genetically engineered salmon problematic?

• These fish are the first genetically engineered animal approved for human consumption. This opens the door for more genetically engineered fish and animals. The low standards of science used set an alarming precedent for the government's expectations for possible future genetically engineered animals.

• Salmon are a keystone species that are essential to Indigenous food sovereignty and coastal tribes’ way of life. In addition to harming Indigenous food ways, the creation of a corporately owned new salmon species does not respect the sacred relationship Salmon People have with Salmon, and it threatens the existence of wild salmon altogether.

• If and when genetically engineered salmon escapes, they will further threaten wild salmon and other wild fish by endangering the ecological balance through potentially out-competing them, genetically mixing creating hybrids, or even failed fertilization attempts because of the GE salmons triploid status. We cannot trust AquaBounty nor fish farms they may partner with to safe keep the ecology and make decisions for our future without our consent.

• AquaBounty’s fish are confined farmed fish that are incredibly susceptible to infectious diseases. In the midst of a global pandemic connected to industrial agriculture’s confinement of animals, it is of global concern to be doubling down on the confined animal industry.

• Farmed salmon are nutritionally deficient, having inferior fat profiles compared to wild salmon and higher concentrations of contaminants. Further, it is unknown what the health impact on humans would be in consuming this genetically engineered animal.

• While AquaBounty tries to pitch their company as “sustainable”, these facilities require huge amounts of energy and water to operate and have not proven successful. Further, people have concerns about the safety of wild salmon populations/the ecological web, the lack of transparency with consumers, using the general public as a science experiment, and violating the consent of the first peoples of this land.

• Despite the widespread opposition to genetically engineered salmon AquaBounty intends to expand globally, increasing corporate control of the global food system. They have received approval to sell their GE salmon in Brazil and are establishing projects with Argentina, China & Israel.

What other ways can we push this boycott?

• CHEFS: Ask chefs you know or from restaurants and food establishments you frequent to sign on to the CHEF PLEDGE to #86Frankenfish & Boycott Genetically Engineered Salmon > bit.ly/86frankenfish

• VENDORS: Talk to your local seafood markets, distributors, grocery stores, and restaurants and encourage them to also publicly commit to never sell or source genetically engineered salmon. See the list of companies that have already made commitments: gefreeseafood.org
  

SHARE THIS PLEDGE TO BOYCOTT WIDELY AND URGENTLY!

bit.ly/boycottGMOsalmon (case sensitive)

To learn more about this campaign and get involved check out:

• Website: www.blockcorporatesalmon.com
• Instagram: @BlockCorporateSalmon
• Twitter: @BlockCorpSalmon
• Email: blockcorporatesalmon@gmail.com