[Scpg] Stop the Genetically Altered Fish!

[Paul Racko]

Please write to your State Senator (and CC your Assemblymember) TODAY!!!!

For our Earth Mother;
Paul


Dear CALPIRG supporter,

As you may know, a petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was filed by Aqua Bounty Farms to allow genetically engineered (called transgenic) salmon into the United States.  Researchers have found that the introduction of transgenic fish into a native fish population could lead to the extinction of the native species.

Our state has spent millions of dollars on projects aimed at recovering our salmon populations and restoring their habitat.  We risk introducing a transgenic fish that will compete for food and shelter with similar native fish populations.

The state Senate will soon be voting on legislation to protect our native marine life by making it unlawful to import, transport, possess, or release alive any live genetically engineered fish in California.

Follow the link below to go to a web page where you can e-mail your state senator to support this legislation.

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=351&id4=ES


BACKGROUND
 
Currently there is no federal restriction or regulation on the possession or release of genetically engineered (called transgenic) fish.  A petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was filed by Aqua Bounty Farms to allow transgenic salmon into the United States.  These transgenic salmon are engineered with a growth hormone to grow 10-30 times faster than natural fish.

If the FDA approves this petition, our waters could be open to transgenic salmon, which could be a detriment to our native salmon populations.  SB 1525 (Sher) will protect our native marine life by making it unlawful to import, transport, possess, or release any live genetically engineered fish in California.
  
Researchers at Purdue University have found that the introduction of transgenic fish into a native fish population could lead to the extinction of a native species.  Since thousands of farmed fish already escape into the wild each year even with regulatory controls, the release of transgenic fish into our waters would put our wild fish populations at risk, disrupt ecosystems and jeopardize the recovery of endangered species, such as endangered California Coho and Chinook salmon.

Our state has spent millions of dollars on projects aimed at recovering our salmon populations and restoring their habitat.  Enactment of SB 1525 is necessary to ensure that these restoration projects can continue to recover wild salmon.  Otherwise, we risk introducing a transgenic fish that will compete for food and shelter, and potentially breed with similar native fish populations.
 
Since we do not have federal regulations controlling the release of genetically engineered fish, the state of California needs to proactively protect our native fish populations from these transgenic, aquatic nuisance species.

The state Senate will soon be voting on legislation to protect our native marine life by making it unlawful to import, transport, possess, or release alive any live genetically engineered (transgenic) fish in California.

Follow the link below to go to a web page where you can e-mail your state senator to support this legislation.

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=351&id4=ES

Sincerely,

Wendy Wendlandt
CALPIRG Associate Director
http://www.CALPIRG.org

P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.


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