UK trade in tropical fish and GM fish incidents recorded in the UK during 2011:
February 2011: Defra received an email enquiry from a member of the public regarding the sale of 'glofish' at their local aquarium. Details of the retail outlet concerned were obtained and the report was followed up in collaboration with the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI). The inspector found no evidence of genetically modified (GM) or suspect GM fish on the premises. He did find glowlight tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus) and glowlight danio (Danio choprae) on sale. These are naturally occurring species of tropical fish and are not genetically modified. The person who reported the glowfish may well have seen these fish and mistaken them for GM fish.
The FHI informed the GM Inspectorate that the garden centre concerned obtains all of their fish from a large wholesale business that is inspected by the FHI regularly, and that this wholesaler is well aware of the legal status of GM fish and does not deal in them. The wholesaler is also an official member of OATA, the Ornamental and Aquatic Trade Association, who have a clear position on GM ornamental fish.
On this occasion it was concluded
that there were no GM fish being offered for sale.