Monday, October 18, 2010

Genetically modified Salmon fish

The new innovation about the genetically modified (GM) salmon fish has created a chaos in the fisheries sectors. This new type of GM salmon is a fantastic idea but the question that is arising is that; is it good for consumption?  

A powerful and passionate debate is opening in the United State and even all over the world whether genetically modified salmon is safe for human consumption and for the salmon industry?
The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has given 2 months of consultation and a number of meeting with the public this months in order to come up to a final decision if the GM salmon fish is safe and healthy for consumption.

However, the fishing industry and politicians from commercial-fishing states are mobilizing against a possible Food and Drug Administration approval of genetically modified salmon for the American dinner table. 

The GM salmon has been developed by AquaBounty Technologies (a Massachusetts biotechnology firm). Called AquaAdvantage Atlantic Salmon, it contains a growth-hormone gene from another salmon that helps it grow twice as fast as conventional farmed fish.

The scientists from AquaBounty Technologies Inc have said that the GM salmon is safe for human consumption but the FDA are facing difficulties to convince the public and fishing industry that the GM salmon is safe for consumption but will be sold without any label certifying that the product is safe.

On the other hand, Alaska is among one of the states in United States showing the biggest concerns about this issue. The Alaskan is saying that putting unlabeled genetically modified salmon the marketplace is an act of irresponsibility and the FDA needs to consider the issue that may arise before they approve the Frankenfish.

Not everyone is agreeing that this stuff is healthy for health and it is obvious that it is not like fresh fish. Based on this fact, a group of 39 lawmakers who wrote that FAD, has joined this week in order to ask the agency to stop its approval process for the genetically modified salmon.

In Britain, environmentalist and author of The End of the Line documentary on fish, said in a recent Sunday Times column headed that The Frankenfish is feeding the world a monstrous Folly' that the argument that GM salmon could feed the world was a monstrous folly. He also added that "If we genuinely want to feed more people in a world of scarce resources we should stop feeding farmed salmon three times its body weight in Peruvian anchovy and try eating the anchovy ourselves. Is fish farming a bad idea? Not at all. We should farm largely vegetarian fish such as tilapia and barramundi. One of these GM salmon will eventually escape and pollute wild salmon, is the real danger. Wild salmon could cease to exist."

Ref: 
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/14273/Fierce_debate_opens_up_on_GM_salmon.html
http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/101310/new_719787870.shtml
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704789404575524313700416460.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
http://endoftheline.com/


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