Thursday, December 12, 2024 – The troubled biotechnology company AquaBounty has announced it will stop production of all genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) salmon and is closing its last working facility, at Bay Fortune in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada.
“We’re glad to see the back of this company after over twenty years of our protests against genetically modified food,” said Sharon Labchuk of GMO Free PEI.
AquaBounty released the world’s first GM food animal – a GM salmon – onto the market in 2017 but is now culling the last of its fish. Yesterday, the company announced that it does not have sufficient liquidity to maintain its “only remaining operating farm” at Bay Fortune and its Chief Executive Officer, David Melboure, has resigned.(1)
“This struggling company has survived largely due to investor hype along with decades of government funding and the support of the federal policy to deny consumers mandatory labelling of GM food. The company couldn’t make producing GM salmon viable even with all the government subsidies and supportive policies,” said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN).
The company’s announcement comes just weeks after the federal and PEI governments announced $231,095 in joint funding for the company.(2) Just last week, CBAN wrote to the Auditor General of Canada and of PEI and to the federal and provincial ministers of fisheries to object to this use of funds and request a review of government decision-making in continued funding for AquaBounty.(3) AquaBounty still owes the Government of Prince Edward Island at least $1.5-million from a 2018 loan of $2.7-million.
“And so ends a science experiment which never should have started because of the risk to wild Atlantic salmon. As they shut their operations in PEI, we encourage the company to ensure that all genetically modified fish and eggs are safely culled to ensure there is no risk of escape in the closing days,” says Mark Butler, Senior Advisor at Nature Canada.
In February 2023, AquaBounty announced it was closing its purpose-built GM salmon production facility at Rollo Bay, PEI, and put the building up for sale in September 2024. In July 2024, the company sold its other major GM salmon production facility, in Indiana, US. The company is now shutting down its remaining, smaller facility at Bay Fortune in PEI which it said would be used to produce GM salmon eggs for its not-yet-built facility in Ohio, US. Construction of the Ohio site has been on hold since 2023 and AquaBounty now says it is assessing “alternatives for our Ohio farm project” while the company continues to sell its assets.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sharon Labchuk, GMO Free PEI +1 902 626 7327
Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network +1 902 209 4906, coordinator@cban.ca
Mark Butler, Nature Canada, +1 902-266-5401 mbutler@naturecanada.ca
NOTES:
(1) AquaBounty, Press Release: AquaBounty Announces Plans to Cease Fish Farming Operations, December 11, 2024.
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Press Release: Government of Canada and Province of Prince Edward Island announce funding for 39 companies to help improve quality, productivity and sustainability in the provincial fish and seafood sector, November 13, 2024.
(3) Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, RE: Request to investigate decisions to provide public funds to AquaBounty, Letter, December 2, 2024.
BACKGROUND:
Media Backgrounder – GM Salmon Production Stopped, CBAN, December 2024.
December 2, 2024 – Press release: Federal and PEI Governments Prop Up Failing GM Salmon Company
October 2, 2024 – Press release: GM Fish Factory in P.E.I. for Sale: Taxpayers Should Get Their Money Back
The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) brings together 15 groups to research, monitor and raise awareness about issues relating to genetic engineering in food and farming. CBAN members include farmer associations, environmental and social justice organizations, and regional coalitions of grassroots groups. CBAN is a project of MakeWay’s shared platform. www.cban.ca/fish
GMO Free PEI is a coalition of community groups in Prince Edward Island that works with concerned islanders to stop the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The coalition has been active since 2001 and includes Earth Action PEI, The Council of Canadians-PEI Chapter, and the MacKillop Centre for Social Justice in P.E.I.
Nature Canada is one of the oldest national nature conservation charities in Canada. For 80 years, Nature Canada has helped protect over 110 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species. Today, Nature Canada represents a network of over 130,000 members and supporters and more than 1,000 nature organizations. www.naturecanada.ca
