Glofish in (European/EU) zoos

Batto

Batto

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Based on a recent travel report featured on the German "Zoofreunde" zoo fan forum, the Zoo Ramnicu Valcea in Romania is apparently the first EU zoo to exhibit "Glofish". A rather mixed blessing, given that the import, trade and husbandry (let alone public display) of such genetically modified animals is completely banned in the European Union (of which Romania happens to be a member...).
Have any of you encountered said "Glofish" in other European zoos (both EU and non-EU)?
I'm pretty sure that they are banned from Switzerland, too.
 
Batto said:
Based on a recent travel report featured on the German "Zoofreunde" zoo fan forum, the Zoo Ramnicu Valcea in Romania is apparently the first EU zoo to exhibit "Glofish". A rather mixed blessing, given that the import, trade and husbandry (let alone public display) of such genetically modified animals is completely banned in the European Union (of which Romania happens to be a member...).
Have any of you encountered said "Glofish" in other European zoos (both EU and non-EU)?
I'm pretty sure that they are banned from Switzerland, too.
Click to expand...
This is super interesting. Glofish are ubiquitous in US pet stores (those that don't carry them seem to go out of business) and therefore ubiquitous in private collections as well. I have seen both the Zebra Danio and Black Skirt Tetra variants in zoos before, but never any of the others.

I've also seen genetically modified African Clawed Frogs at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
 
Isn't it illegal in the EU?

By the way, the Glofish is an interesting story about legal excess in the U.S. law (I am not sure if it applies in the EU). A creator of a new breed of fish, flowers, other animals or plants can sell them but has no say about the offspring, but a creator of genetically modified fish owns the fish, all progeny and all hybrids for perpetuity. But when the so-called patented animals are abused or cause damage e.g. by escaping to the environment, the so-called owner of the breed is not legally responsible.
 
Batto said:
Based on a recent travel report featured on the German "Zoofreunde" zoo fan forum, the Zoo Ramnicu Valcea in Romania is apparently the first EU zoo to exhibit "Glofish". A rather mixed blessing, given that the import, trade and husbandry (let alone public display) of such genetically modified animals is completely banned in the European Union (of which Romania happens to be a member...).
Have any of you encountered said "Glofish" in other European zoos (both EU and non-EU)?
I'm pretty sure that they are banned from Switzerland, too.
Click to expand...

Sadly, they are readily for sale in pet stores here in the US, so I've seen them upclose and personal a lot.
 
I havent seen them myself anywhere in Europe and I get through offers of wholesale sellers and visit hobby sellers exchange markets from time to time.

But it does happen occasionaly (albeit very rarely) they get imported by dumb person that is unaware of the ban. I found at least one instance where penalty fee got slapped on importer by Czech customs few years back.
 
I believe there are two forms of glofish for those wondering. Those which have been dyed - illegal in the EU. And those which are genetically bred/modified for the wacky colours and then have been bred (I’m not sure if these are illegal?). It’s likely it’s the latter.

but either way they have no place in the pet trade nor exhibition imo.
 
Fresco3 said:
I believe there are two forms of glofish for those wondering. Those which have been dyed - illegal in the EU. And those which are genetically bred/modified for the wacky colours and then have been bred (I’m not sure if these are illegal?). It’s likely it’s the latter.

but either way they have no place in the pet trade nor exhibition imo.
Click to expand...
Glofish is a patended and trademarked brand of genetically modified fish and, as already clearly mentioned by yours truly, illegal to trade, keep and breed in the EU.
Artificially dyed fish are something completely different (though also often illegal in several European countries due to local animal welfare regulations).
 
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