Download Maine Aquaculture Association

Maine Aquaculture Association
P.O. Box 148, 103 Water Street, 4th Floor
Hallowell, ME 04347
Telephone (207) 622-0136 • Fax (207) 622-0576 • [email protected]
STATEMENT
Maine Aquaculture Association Corrects Misinformation by Pew
Environment Group Hallowell Maine
April 25, 2009
Hallowell, Maine: The Maine Aquaculture Association warns that the PEW Environment
Group is attacking some of the most progressive farmers in the world by resorting to
misinformation and a poorly researched report. PEW’s recent warning of the “potential
environmental threats related to the discharge of banned drugs into the marine
environment and the potential human health risks associated with some of these
chemicals in food production” is not supported by the facts. Maine fish farmers take their
responsibility for shepherding the health and welfare of the animals on their farms very
seriously. During some seasons and in certain locations our fish ma y be attacked by a
naturally occurring pest called sea lice. We rely on non-chemical methods such as early
harvest, crop rotation, site fallowing and the timing of stocking juvenile fish on the farms
to control sea lice but there are times when this is not enough. When additional measures
are required, our veterinarians prescribe the use of Emamectin Benzoate or SLICE. This
product is not illegal and is not a banned substance as stated by PEW. Emamectin
Benzoate is made available to us through an Investiga tive New Animal health Drug
(INAD) research project. This project is designed to gather data that may be used as part
of the full registration of this compound under U.S. regulations. It is not possible to go
through the full registration process for compounds such as SLICE without this data and
as such the current use is a necessary part of the licensing process. Our current use is
fully permitted and wholly legal under U.S. law. Maine finfish growers continually strive
to improve their sustainable fish farming methods. This includes finding ways to reduce
or eliminate the use of artificial chemicals and drugs while protecting the health and
welfare of the animals we grow. Through vaccination, crop rotation, bay management
and year class separation, Maine farmers have virtually eliminated their use of
therapeutants and other artificial chemicals. We do not use any growth hormones or
growth promoters. .We have not used antibiotics on Maine salmon farms in the past
years. The PEW Foundation’s recent letter to the Commissioner for the FDA and press
release irresponsibly mischaracterizes the Maine situation and implies that salmon that is
grown in Maine is being held to a lower standard than imports from overseas. In fact the
opposite is true. As domestic growers, we comply with all state and federal regulations
regarding any use of therapeutants or chemicals for maintaining animal health. These
requirements include some of the strictest environmental protection and food safety laws
in the world. The cooperative research project on SLICE requires us to submit extensive
data directly to both third party academic and federal and state regulatory authorities.
Indeed if it were not for the transparency of this domestic process Pew would have had to
resort to the freedom of information act process as it had to for the overseas producers.
This process ensures the health and welfare of our animals while at the same time
protecting the health of our customers and the health of the environment we depend upon
for our livelihood. It is unfortunate that PEW did not contact Maine salmon farmers
directly or check their facts with fish health experts before issuing this release. There lack
of fact checking is inadvertently or perhaps intentionally damaging some of the most
progressive farmers in the world. Good operators should be rewarded, not penalized. The
Maine Aquaculture Association represents a vital and responsible aquaculture industry
that contributes over $80 million per year to the state’s economy, employs over 500
people and provides safe, healthy and nutritious seafood products for US consumers.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sebastian Belle, Executive Director
Maine Aquaculture Association
1-207-852-0142