FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2007

CONTACT:
Dave Bard, 202.486.4426

Statement by Andrea Kavanagh, Director, Pure Salmon Campaign

On the FDA Banning Imported Farmed Fish from China

Washington — Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an import alert against five species of Chinese farmed fish.

"Today's findings are unfortunate, but not surprising. We know from our work with farmed salmon that a 'cocktail' of chemicals including antibiotics, pesticides and fungicides may be used both illegally and legally on industrial fish farms. Some of those chemicals are carcinogens and pose known and potential risks to human health.

"The import alert underscores the need for the FDA to immediately step up its testing efforts for imported farm-raised fish.

"The FDA's import ban on farm-raised fish coming from China is a step in the right direction, but the agency can't stop there. Other countries put their imported farmed foods through a rigorous testing process. Just recently, European and Canadian officials issued import alerts for harmful chemicals and antibiotics, including emamectin and ivermectin, found in farmed salmon originating in Chile. The FDA does not have any testing protocols for either of these chemicals even though a substantial portion of the farmed salmon consumed in this country comes from Chile.

"If the FDA wants to make good on its promise to protect American consumers, it needs to begin testing for a wider range of chemicals and contaminants hiding in all farmed fish, including those imported from overseas."

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The Pure Salmon Campaign is a global project of the National Environmental Trust. It has partners in the United States, Canada, the European Union and Chile all working to improve the way salmon is produced.