Benzinga | Jun 1, 2021 04:21PM EDT

AquaBounty Announces First Harvest of GE Atlantic Salmon; Receives Approval For Sale of GE Atlantic Salmon In Brazil

AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQB) ("AquaBounty" or the "Company"), a land-based aquaculture company utilizing technology to enhance productivity and sustainability, today announced: the successful completion of the first commercial scale harvest of its genetically engineered (GE) Atlantic salmon at the Albany, Indiana Farm; the regulatory approval of the Company's GE Atlantic salmon by Brazil's National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio); and the addition of Gail Sharps Myers to AquaBounty's Board of Directors.



"We are thrilled to commence commercial-scale harvesting of our GE salmon at our Indiana farm," said Sylvia Wulf, Chief Executive Officer of AquaBounty. "The first weeks of our harvest supply are fully committed and our customers are excited to introduce the salmon in their markets. We will continue to ramp up production to the farm's full capacity throughout the course of the year."

AquaBounty is also pleased to announce the approval of its application to Brazil's National Biosafety Technical Commission for the sale of the Company's GE Atlantic salmon in Brazil. With this approval, the Company moves closer to realizing an exciting new market opportunity in South America.

"This is another significant achievement for AquaBounty as we seek to expand our presence into new international markets," added Wulf. "This approval now enables us to seek production and distribution partners in Brazil, the largest and most populated country in South America with significant demand for salmon."

CTNBio assessed AquaBounty's application to ensure it met the relevant standards and regulatory requirements and concluded that the sale and consumption of AquaBounty's GE salmon is safe for the environment and human health. CTNBio's approval joins that of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada, making AquaBounty the first and only company in the world to have its GE Atlantic salmon approved in these three major markets.

AquaBounty is also pleased to announce that Gail Sharps Myers -- the EVP, Chief Legal Officer, Chief People Officer and Corporate Secretary for Denny's Corporation -- was elected to its Board of Directors at the Company's annual shareholders' meeting held on May 28, 2021. She joins recently appointed Director, Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, President and CEO of Richelieu Foods Inc., both of whom bring valuable experience and relationships in the food industry.

Wulf noted, "Ms. Sharps Myers and Dr. Alvarez are wonderful additions to AquaBounty's Board as AquaBounty continues to grow and commercialize, and we are pleased to have them as independent, non-executive directors."