[MunchingonHay]

Because I totally am!

I really hope that it does not get approved for human consumption and they have to destroy all of the fish. (Which will never happen).

Here are some links in case you have not heard of it yet.

http://www.aquabounty.com/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2238050.html

http://www.aquabounty.com/documents/...DAApproval.pdf

I have an article in my hard drive that I am not sure how to post that gives more details as to why this fish is not a good idea and that should this fish be approved it will be a flood gate of GMOed animals. There is a GMO pig, cow and chicken waiting in the wings.


Yes I am pro organic, yes I am against GMO foods and I support the non-GMO project. Call me a hippy, call me crunchy, but this stuff scares the crap out of me.

[PeteyPie]

The use of this salmon for food does not bother me. Its ability to develop faster than other salmon does not mean the proteins are different to eat, and the economic savings are obvious. However, the thing that does bother me, and I know it scares a lot of fishermen, especially those in the wild salmon industry in Alaska, is the remark from the Huffington Post article you posted, which says that the FDA "also said that there's little chance that the salmon could escape and breed with wild fish..."

Saying there's "little chance" is as ignorant as saying that bringing a pet python into Florida poses little chance of damage, or importing rabbits into Australia was a good idea. The invasive species which have been accidentally introduced and are now causing problems seems like a pretty long list. Let's see, right off the top of my head, I can think of:

Zebra mussels in American lakes
Brown snakes in pacific islands
Argentine ants in my own house
that pretty aquarium plant that is invading lakes
those fish that leap up and slap boaters in the face
Africanized bees
the aforementioned pythons in Floridian swamps...

Invasive plants must number in the hundreds. So what are the odds that no fish will escape their little pens and interbreed or compete with wild species? I wouldn't bet on those odds, and I think the unintended consequences might be much more expensive to all of us than the savings to that company.

[MunchingonHay]

that is exactly the reason why I am afraid PeteyPie and the only reason why Aqua Bounty can and would be able to continue is for human consumption.

In the article that I have from USF's databases ( I will see if I can post a link) is that the fish have proven to go cannibal in their tanks. And of course they would "escape" some how. I am afraid of it from an environment stand point.


ETA the link

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/jlsp/pdf/...e%2045.1-1.pdf

[LMH]

It horrifies me. All GMO foods horrify me.

Look around our country at the terrible obesity-how can it NOT be related to the frankenfoods eaten on a daily basis.

GMO is every.single.horse.feed. Maybe the reason the majority of the horses shows signs of LGL? Even if only minor?

Horrible.

[Hulk]

It scares me, and yes they will escape and breed with native species. Just a really bad idea in genaral. Guess no one learned from the above mentioned mistakes (invasive species).

As for eating organic do it as much as possible, grow my own organic veggies,etc. I can be labeled Hippie, Tree Hugger, Tin foil hat wearer, call me what you want, but I am not for GMOs or frankenfood.

[RiderInTheRain]

I agree with others who are concerned about the effects of the GMO fish on native organisms. While the article from the Huffington Post states that the modified salmon are sterile, I personally think there are still too many risks and too much possibility for human error to cause even more destruction of the native biota.

I wonder what the labeling on GMO salmon would be like. I'm guessing that it wouldn't be in huge, easy to read letters on the front of the packaging. Ugh.

[Daydream Believer]

I am also totally against it for the reasons others have stated. I wont' be buying any.

The way to avoid the frankenfish is to buy only "wild caught" salmon. Look for that on the label. I already do this because I wish to avoid farmed salmon as much as I can. The wild caught salmon has a higher Omega 3 profile and is better for you.

[paulaedwina]

GMO worries me because biodiversity is the only thing between organisms and annihilation should anything untoward occur. GM organisms lack biodiversity. GM salmon will rapidly out-compete wild salmon should it ever escape and spawn. IMO this is what we need to be worried about alot.

Paula

[Megaladon]

It horrifies me. All GMO foods horrify me.

Look around our country at the terrible obesity-how can it NOT be related to the frankenfoods eaten on a daily basis.

GMO is every.single.horse.feed. Maybe the reason the majority of the horses shows signs of LGL? Even if only minor?

Horrible.

I also wonder if it's responsible for cancer(s). I have a coworker who is not even 30 getting an ovarian tumor removed.

It's really hard to escape GMO, they've fooled around with lots of stuff.

[Louise]

It is hard to escape the GMO foods these days. And, this fish really does terrify me. It is my understanding that they will not have to label this fish in any way, if it is approved. So, yes, the only way to avoid it will be to purchase wild salmon.

[Bluey]

The use of this salmon for food does not bother me. Its ability to develop faster than other salmon does not mean the proteins are different to eat, and the economic savings are obvious. However, the thing that does bother me, and I know it scares a lot of fishermen, especially those in the wild salmon industry in Alaska, is the remark from the Huffington Post article you posted, which says that the FDA "also said that there's little chance that the salmon could escape and breed with wild fish..."

Saying there's "little chance" is as ignorant as saying that bringing a pet python into Florida poses little chance of damage, or importing rabbits into Australia was a good idea. The invasive species which have been accidentally introduced and are now causing problems seems like a pretty long list. Let's see, right off the top of my head, I can think of:

Zebra mussels in American lakes
Brown snakes in pacific islands
Argentine ants in my own house
that pretty aquarium plant that is invading lakes
those fish that leap up and slap boaters in the face
Africanized bees
the aforementioned pythons in Floridian swamps...

Invasive plants must number in the hundreds. So what are the odds that no fish will escape their little pens and interbreed or compete with wild species? I wouldn't bet on those odds, and I think the unintended consequences might be much more expensive to all of us than the savings to that company.

Don't forget feral hogs.

[RiderInTheRain]

I think rabbits in Australia are another particularly awful example.

[Brooke]

Re: the escape of these fish and their threat to the native populations. The company did say that the fish will be sterile females. Which actually I question how they do that more than I worry about the hybredization of the fish.

[Bluey]

Re: the escape of these fish and their threat to the native populations. The company did say that the fish will be sterile females. Which actually I question how they do that more than I worry about the hybredization of the fish.

Well, to stop outbreaks of some insects, like screwworm, we have been using sterile males for over 50 years now.

I agree, we need to have all the Ts crossed and is dotted first.
If the science is there, if they are approved, well, that process is why we have so much we should be grateful for today, some problems with some of it and all.

[WildBlue]

From the huffpost article: "Not that we don't already eat genetically altered animals. Researchers say the centuries-old practice of selective breeding is its own form of genetic engineering, producing the plumper cows, pigs and poultry we eat today."

"Frankenmeat" is already in the grocery store, and has been for some time. I started raising cows and chickens a few years ago, and played around with heritage versus commercial breeds. The changes that have already been made to food animals, particularly poultry, is amazing. Did you know that commercial breeds of chicken mature 3 or 4 times faster than heritage breeds, can mature a lot bigger, and are a lot more efficient at converting feed to meat? Of course, they don't run around, peck, scratch, or do anything remotely chicken-ish, including being able to breed naturally. They just sit, eat, and poop. And produce huge chunks of the soft, flabby white meat we all think of as "chicken".

IMO, the only difference between those birds and the salmon is that the fish had a Chinook salmon gene inserted in the lab rather than as a result of selective cross-breeding to generate the same result.

Of bigger concern, healthwise, is how these animals are raised and how much of their own waste is in their environment. I found, with those chickens, it was a lot of work to keep them clean and healthy since each one produced so much waste every day and happily sat in it. It really brought home to me why antibiotics and other drugs are an integral part of our commercial meat production. Yuck.

Of course, with fish (oily fish, especially), you pays your money and you takes your chances. Wild-caught are high up a long food chain that concentrates everything from pesticide residues to heavy metals. While farm-raised are the result of whatever kind of environment--and food--they're given, market-driven to produce meat fast-n-cheap. Mmm, yummy...