By Kevin McCauley
Turner Strategies is shepherding AquaBounty Technologies through the regulatory morass as the Boston-based firm appears to be on the verge of federal approval for the sale of its genetically modified salmon.
The Wall Street Journal reported today on its front page that the "laboratory-tweaked salmon" could be the first genetically modified animal to appear on American dinner plates.
The AquaAdvantage Atlantic salmon carries a growth hormone from Chinook salmon to speed growth, and some DNA from ocean pout (muttonfish) to turn on the Chinook gene.
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee met Sept. 20 to talk about whether the fish was safe and if it posed a threat to the environment. Prior to the meeting, the FDA published a report online that deemed the gene-altered fish as safe as Atlantic salmon and risk-free to the environment.
Susanne Turner told O'Dwyer's that her firm specializes in “promoting game-changing issues that are often controversial.”
Her shop has represented Amnesty International, Biotechnology Industry Organization, CODEPINK, Environmental Defense Fund, Human Rights Watch, Christopher & Dana Reed Foundation, Fund for the Feminist Majority, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood Federation.
Prior to setting up TS two years ago, Turner was senior VP at Fenton Communications for seven years and mid-Atlantic regional manager for The Launch Co.
AquaBounty, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, uses Britain's Corfin PR for financial duties.
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