§ Lord Moranasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any progress has been made in reaching an international agreement to prohibit releases of genetically modified fish as proposed by the Select Committee on the European Communities (Second Report, Session 1998–99. HL Paper 11). [HL2111]
§ Lord WhittyThe release of GM fish is prohibited within the European Union unless authorised. Any proposed release would be governed by Directive 90/220/EEC on the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms. Guidance on this regime makes clear that it would include releases of GM fish for experimental purposes in all water bodies, including beyond the estuarine environment. At the global level, the Biosafety Protocol to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, agreed on 29 January 2000, includes provision that Parties shall co-operate with a view to identifying living (genetically) modified organisms (LMOs) or specific traits of LMOs that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. It also provides that Parties shall take appropriate measures regarding the treatment of such LMOs, which could include fish.220WA The Government would regard the release of GM fish as covered fully in international fora controlling releases of all genetically modified organisms. The UK has participated fully in these fora.