The FDA is considering making it legal to market genetically enhanced animals beginning with salmon. They have added growth hormones to the fish to make them grow all year long. The article mentions that these fish would interact with regular, already endangered, salmon and these fish would consume more food than normal fish. They may also cause human allergy problems. It is said that these fish would be safe and environmentally sustainable and this process would eventually make other animals more environmentally friendly.
The article does not seem to be biased because it mentions the views of both people for and against it.
III. Population
A. Population Biology Concepts
IV. Land and Water Use
F. Fishing
VI. Pollution
B. Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
1. Hazards to Human Health
Although the Food and Drug Administration makes some valid points in its argument, I do not believe that it should be legal to market genetically engineered animals. When the FDA tested the engineering on salmon, they found that the modified fish could cause allergies in humans and ultimately lead to the decimation of the salmon population. If any organism's health is put in danger by practicing the engineering, then I do not believe it should be legalized.
ReplyDeleteOn another hand, I find it very interesting that the FDA has discovered such a complex form of engineering. It is amazing that an administration can enable a species to grow twice as fast as it would naturally.