[extropy-chat] LUDDITES: No GloFish for the U.S.

[Harvey Newstrom]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote,
> Hmmm... I wonder if at the next WTA meeting (which I believe
> is in Toronto) a number of anti-Luddites shouldn't stage a 
> press conference where we dump an aquarium full of GloFish 
> into Lake Ontario?

Please don't!  In Florida, where I live, it is a violation of state statute
372.265 concerning the Regulation of foreign species.  It is illegal to
release any species into the wild that is not native to Florida.  You are
not even allowed to own a species of foreign fish if there is a reasonable
chance that it might escape into the wild.  Many specific species of fish
have been outlawed because of previous damage.

These are not "precautionary" laws.  Florida has a long history of
environmental disasters with foreign species being released into the wild.
Brazilian Peppers caused massive bird kills.  Kudzu vines clog lakes and
streams, and even hamper navigation.  Australian Melaleuca grows extremely
fast and can suck fields dry, killing other plants and destroying wetlands.
Fire-ants have overrun the entire state.  Genetically Engineer Cotton has
been proven to cross-breed with Wild Florida Cotton and convey its
weed-killer resistance to this weed, and it is feared that a release into
the wild could destroy the cotton industry.

This is not a joke!  It is extremely dangerous to release foreign species of
plants, fish or animals into a new environment where they do not have
natural predators.  See the University of Florida site for more information
and specific examples.  <http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/msl/invspecies.html>.
They don't have to be dangerous or unusual to cause the problem.  Usually,
it is just a simple case that they don't have natural predators to keep the
population down.  They breed like tribbles with nothing to stop them.  They
end up spreading like locust and decimated whole ecosystems if they are not
stopped.

Sheesh, can't we ever learn from history?  This is such a bad idea!

-- 
Harvey Newstrom, CISSP, CISA, CISM, IAM, IBMCP, GSEC
Certified IS Security Pro, Certified IS Auditor, Certified InfoSec Manager,
NSA Certified Assessor, IBM Certified Consultant, SANS Certified GIAC
<HarveyNewstrom.com> <Newstaff.com>