Proceedings 2022/013
Proceedings of the National Advisory Meeting on the Environmental and Indirect Human Health Risk Assessment of GloFish® Electric Green®, Moonrise Pink®, and Sunburst Orange® Bettas: Three Lines of Transgenic Ornamental Fish; April 22-23, 2021
Chairperson: Gilles Olivier
Editors: Alex Tuen and Melissa Gagné
Summary
The purpose of this document is to record the key discussion points from the meeting of the CSAS national science review process regarding the “Environmental and Indirect Human Health Risk Assessment of GloFish® Electric Green®, Moonrise Pink®, and Sunburst Orange® Bettas (Betta splendens): Three Lines of Transgenic Ornamental Fish”.
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada (HC), is the key authority for the Government of Canada to ensure that all new substances, including living organisms, are assessed for their potential to harm the environment and human health prior to their import to or manufacture in Canada. In accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding between Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), ECCC, and HC, DFO assists in implementing the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms) [NSNR(O)] by providing science advice based on an environmental risk assessment, and in collaboration with HC, on the indirect human health risk assessment for living fish that are products of biotechnology. DFO may also make recommendations regarding any necessary measures to manage risk, if required.
On February 4, 2021, Spectrum Brands (a division of GloFish LLC) submitted three regulatory packages (notifications) under the NSNR(O) for three genetically-engineered Betta splendens (Bettas): the Electric Green® Betta, the Moonrise Pink® Betta, and the Sunburst Orange® Betta, collectively referred to as the GloFish® Bettas. The company’s intention is to import the GloFish® Bettas to Canada for sale in the ornamental aquarium fish trade.
The CSAS national science advisory process was used to undertake a peer review of the two risk assessments (environmental and indirect human health), and to develop scientific consensus on the risk assessment conclusions and recommendations provided to ECCC and HC to inform their CEPA risk assessment and decision. A virtual peer review meeting was held April 22–23, 2021, through Microsoft Teams. The Terms of Reference and Agenda for this process are found in Appendix 1 and 2, respectively. Meeting participants included experts from DFO, ECCC, HC, and academia (Appendix 3). The conclusions and advice resulting from this meeting are provided in the form of a Science Advisory Report, as well as two peer-reviewed risk assessment Research Documents that are made publicly available on the CSAS website.
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