UK scientists to turn fish vegetarian

[Guest guest]

Dwindling wild fish stocks make farming unsustainable

 

British scientists are developing the means to turn fish vegetarian in an

attempt to preserve dwindling stocks in oceans around the world.

 

Farmed salmon, trout, haddock and cod are fed on smaller, wild fish.

 

And as they can consume up to five times their own weight, the industry is

rapidly becoming unsustainable.

 

The fish may swallow the idea - but will consumers?

 

Don Staniford, of Friends of the Earth But now government scientists at the

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Agriculture Science in Lowestoft

believe they have discovered a chemical to make farmed fish eat vegetable

matter.

 

Dr Andy Moore told BBC News: " This will revolutionise fish farming

worldwide. "

 

Dr Moore and his colleagues have developed a synthetic version of the

pheromone released by fish that makes them hungry.

 

And tests show fish start snapping at the water, looking for anything to eat,

once they sense its presence.

 

Litmus test

 

The scientists say that since a certain amount of the pheromone is naturally

produced in the water by the fish anyway, it is unlikely to adversely affect

their health.

 

But although the industry has welcomed the discovery, concerns remain that

consumers may be put off by what they will see as the unnatural altering of

fish behaviour.

 

Don Staniford, of Friends of the Earth, told BBC News: " The fish may

swallow the idea - but will consumers?

 

" That is really the litmus test at the end of the day.

 

" Will the public buy the end product? "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science/nature/2393053.stm

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Hmmmm. I still think it would make more sense for the scientists to put their

minds to making a delicious vegetarian fish alternative for humans to eat.

 

~ P_T ~

 

 

A dog has the soul of a philosopher.

--Plato