State Legislatures Magazine: March 2003
Editor's Note: This article appeared in the March 2003 issue of NCSL's magazine, State Legislatures. To order copies or to subscribe, contact the marketing department at (303) 364-7700.
On First Reading
Swimming Upstream: Regulating Genetically Engineered Fish
Protesting human manipulation of living food items, chefs, restaurateurs, grocers and seafood distributors across the nation have decided to pull salmon off their menus and out of their seafood counters because most are raised on fish farms and have been genetically engineered to grow faster so that they can reach the market sooner.
Although bred in captivity, these salmon run the risk of escape, creating a threat to native fish in state waters. The National Research Council worries that if engineered fish escape, they would pose significant risks to native species.
One company has developed an Atlantic salmon genetically engineered (transgenic) to grow at four to six times the rate of wild salmon.
Purdue University scientists say that if just 60 transgenic salmon were to escape from fish farms and join a population of wild fish, the wild population could theoretically become extinct within 40 generations.
Following the call of nature, females will choose to breed with the bigger transgenic fish-thus extinguishing the native gene pools. The modified fish are not genetically superior to wild ones, their genes have just been manipulated to let them grow bigger, faster.
Some states are taking measures to ensure this won't happen. Maryland placed a five-year moratorium in 2001 on the introduction of genetically altered fish into state waters.
California regulators don't believe a ban is necessary. The Department of Fish and Game rejected a proposal to become the first state to formally prohibit fish farmers from introducing genetically engineered (GE) fish into all public waterways. Department officials have yet to receive any applications from aquaculturists to release GE fish into public waterways, nor would they grant any permits for some time, they say. The department did begin the process of changing their regulations last fall to define transgenic and transgenic aquatic animals and regulate importation, transportation and possession within the state.
On the other hand, Washington state regulators adopted sweeping regulations in December banning genetically engineered salmon from fish farms in all its marine waters.
The Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission acted following repeated large-scale escapes of farmed fish. The new rules require state agencies to implement new enforcement and oversight measures on the negative impacts of poorly regulated fish farms.
©2003, National Conference of State Legislatures. All rights reserved.
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