Here's the pet-to-have this holiday season! A Glowing Fish...!!!


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The nation's first genetically altered household pet - a fish that glows in the dark - is set to begin appearing in stores next month everywhere except perhaps California, the only state with a ban on lab-engineered species.

On Wednesday, the California Fish and Game Commission is scheduled to take up an application from Yorktown Technologies of Austin, Texas, to market the GloFish in California.

State wildlife officials have concluded that the Florida-grown fluorescent zebra fish poses no danger, and they have recommended that the state exempt it from the ban. But environmental and public interest groups, along with commercial fishermen, oppose an exemption.

The GloFish was developed by scientists in Singapore who found they could turn the normally black-and-silver zebra fish green or red by inserting genes from jellyfish or a sea anemone. The tropical fish appear to glow in rooms lit with ultraviolet or black light.

California's regulations against what critics call "Frankenfish" were prompted by fears that genetically altered farmed fish, such as salmon, could get loose and devastate the state's wild populations.

The fluorescent fish, however, are even less tolerant of cold water than natural zebra fish and are unlikely to survive if they escape, the Fish and Game Department said in recommending an exemption. Independent researchers also found that no harm would come from eating the fish.

Some environmentalists still fear Glofish could find their way into warm waters in the wild and establish themselves. But their larger fear is that the GloFish's introduction could open the floodgates on other genetically engineered species.

The Washington-based Center for Food Safety, along with the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and others, is pressing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the marketing of such creatures.

Federal agencies say they have no jurisdiction. Unlike, for instance, bio-engineered salmon, zebra fish are not intended as food, so the FDA says it has no power to regulate. The Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Agriculture have also passed.

Yorktown Technologies President Alan Blake has given assurances that GloFish are safe even if flushed down the toilet, dumped into the local swimming hole or eaten by a house cat or a 2-year-old.

The company plans to market its GloFish in other states, whether or not California gives it approval. That is why opponents are pressing for federal regulation.

"What California says is going to make very little difference in the long run if all the other states are going to allow them," said Peter Jenkins, an attorney and policy analyst with the Center for Food Safety.


On the Net: Yorktown Technologies: www.glofish.com

PurpleJedi said:

Damn!

Why don't they just leave shit alone!

They're gonna fuck around and create something that's gonna destroy us all...well they already have, their all mad I tell ya! ALL OF THEM!

Oh brother. What is the world coming to?

I want one!

Or two... Eh, heh..

Ooh, I found the gen that turns EVERYBODY into straight people.

And white.

With blue eyes.

Right handed.

Into uniforms and marching.

Hey momma, what you wanna have, boy or girl?

June7 said:

GRRR

Anybody that buys animals prompted by a hype must get BLEEP!, I think.

See the dalmations craze.
The jellyfish glow in the dark craze.

Sad humans
[This message was edited Wed Dec 3 2:32:43 PST 2003 by gooeythehamster]

gooeythehamster said:

You forgot, "Tall, Thin, & Republican"

What's scary is that if they can make a fish glow in the dark, how much harder can it be to make a man taller or broader or - hell - with GREEN hair?!?!?!?!

what'll they conjure up next, gerbils that talk? hamsters that fly?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

If so, you're gonna find alot of dead gerbils floating in the river near Richard Gere's house.









Armegeddon edit
[This message was edited Wed Dec 3 19:36:53 PST 2003 by bkw]

I think that would be a very pretty thing to see, especially at night.

bkw said:

what is all this shit i keep hearin about richard gere and gerbils? is that one of those rumors, like rod stewart and britney spears gettin their stomachs pumped? and marilyn manson and prince with their removed ribs?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Yes, exactly like those.

Modern myths.

Paisley said:

It would save me replacing light bulbs.

althom said:

Cheap

Paisley said:

More like broke ass

Paisley said:

Hey...the fish aren't cheap!

althom said:

nevermind

Paisley said:

Does he ever understand anything we say???

MostBeautifulGrlNTheWorld said:

NOPE!

Paisley said:

What?

althom said:

Paisley said:

Damn dog, our rappin skills must be off the hook then

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Wow ~ Rod Stewart & Britney too...and here I just thought it was Donny Walberg from New Kids...