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September 23, 2011

Organizations and Businesses Endorsing Senators Murkowski and Begichs BipartisanAmendment to Bar FDA from Approving Genetically Engineered Fish

We, the undersigned 93 commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries associations, food businesses and retailersalong with consumer, worker, religious and environmental groups endorse the amendment offered by SenMurkowski to H.R. 2112 to bar the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from using funds in fiscal year 2012 toapprove genetically engineered fish.

The FDA has failed to address the plethora of economic risks as well as food, animal and environmental safety

concerns raised by members of Congress, the public, and the agencys own Veterinary Medicine AdvisorCommittee. These include potential economic impacts to wild salmon fisheries and the livelihoods that depend onthem, inadequate safety testing, incomplete safety data, questionable culling practices, troubling physicaabnormalities, and poor environmental and scientific assessments. In September 2010, forty members of Congresssent a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg expressing their grave concerns with FDAs approvaprocess for GE fish. We echo the concerns raised by those members of Congress regarding the FDAs flawedprocess for review and approval of GE salmon.

Wild salmon is a vital economic and public resource for commercial, recreational and subsistence fishers throughouCalifornia, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. The seafood industry in Alaska is the largest private sector employercreating 56,600 direct and 22,000 indirect jobs annually, more jobs than oil, gas and mining combined. Tremendous

investment has been made by Federal and State agencies to restore wild salmon populations in the Northeast whereAtlantic salmon is currently on the endangered species list. FDAs approval process for GE fish lacks transparencypublic engagement and the regulatory and scientific rigor needed to assess the numerous risks and concerns posedby GE fish.

Organizations and Fishing Associations

Alaska Independent Fishermen's MarketingAssociationAlaska Longline Fishermen's AssociationAlaska Trollers AssociationAlaska Marine Conservation Council

Alliance for Natural Health-USAAmberwavesAmerican Anti-Vivisection SocietyCalhoun County Resource WatchCalifornias for GE-Free AgricultureCenter for Biological DiversityCenter for Environmental HealthCenter for Food SafetyCitizens for Sanity.ComClean New York

CounterCorpConservation NorthwestConsumers UnionCouncil for Responsible GeneticsFarmworker Association of FloridaFishermen's Marketing Association of Bodega Bay

Fishing Vessel Owners AssociationFriends of the Earth USFood and Water WatchFood Democracy Now!Global Alliance Against Industrial AquacultureGo Wild CampaignGreenpeace USAHawai`i SEEDHumane Society of the United StatesIndiana Toxics Action

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Main Office: 660 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., Suite 302, Washington, D.C. 20003Phone: 202-547-9359Fax: 202-547-9429California Office: 303 Sacramento Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111Phone: 415-826-2770Fax: 415-826-0507

Email: info@centerforfoodsafety.orgwww.centerforfoodsafety.orgwww.trufoodnow.org

Institute for Agriculture and Trade PolicyInstitute for Fisheries ResourcesInstitute for Responsible TechnologyInternational Center for Technology AssessmentMangrove Action ProjectMaryknoll Office for Global ConcernsMonterey Commercial Fishermens Association

National Cooperative Grocers Association

National Family Farm CoalitionNational Organic CoalitionNon-GMO ProjectNorthern California Council, Federation of FlyFishersNorthwest Atlantic Marine AllianceOcean Conservancy

Olympic Environmental CouncilOrganic Consumers AssociationPacific Coast Federation of Fishermens AssociationsPenobscot East Resource CenterPuget Sound Harvesters AssociationSalmon For AllSalmon Protection and Watershed NetworkSalmon Water NowSan Francisco BaykeeperSan Francisco Crabboat Owners AssociationSanta Cruz Commercial Fishermen's Marketing

Association, Inc.Say No to GMOs!

Sierra ClubSmall Boat Commercial Salmon FishermensAssociationSoutheast Alaska Fishermen's AllianceSouthern California Trawlers AssociationThe Gloucester Fishermens Wives AssociationThe Massachusetts Fishermen Partnership, IncTrout UnlimitedTruth in Labeling CoalitionUnion of Concerned Scientists

Washington Biotechnology ActionYukon River Drainage Fisheries Association

Businesses and Retailers

Abundance Cooperative MarketBristol Bay Regional Seafood DevelopmentAssociationCook County Whole Foods Co-opCROPP CooperativeEden Foods, Inc.Fisher's Choice Wild Salmon and GiftsFRESH the Movie

Harvest Market, Inc.Independent Natural Food Retailers AssociationJimbosNaturally! Lundberg Family FarmMarquette Food Co-opNatural Choices for Healthful Living, Inc

National Cooperative Grocers AssociationNational Fisherman MagazineOrganic ValleyPacific Fishing MagazinePCC Natural MarketsReal Food Store, Inc.Rising Tide Community MarketSan Juan Food Co-op

Seattle General Agency, Inc.Stonyfield FarmThe Natural Grocery CompanyWedge Natural Foods Co-opWhiz-Bang Fisheries, Inc.

IndividualsFormer Congressman Jim Bates (CA-44)

For more information about GE fish including fact sheets, Congressional letters and testimony from scientists andpublic interest groups presented to the FDA please visit:www.ge-fish.org

http://www.ge-fish.org/http://www.ge-fish.org/http://www.ge-fish.org/http://www.ge-fish.org/