Marathon, FL The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) and Oxitec, a British biotech company, will begin the first-ever U.S. release of genetically engineered (GE) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes this week.
Despite scientific concerns and public outcry over the human health and environment risks, the field trial’s first phase will release up to 144,000 GE mosquitoes over the course of the next 12 weeks. The full trial will release up to a billion GE mosquitoes over a two-year period in Monroe County, Florida. The mosquitoes are being released in Cudjoe Key, Ramrod Key and Vaca Key. Community residents were not notified which cities or villages would be included until the Friday before the releases. Residents were not given advance warning about the exact date the releases were set to occur.
Up to 144,000 Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Released in Florida Keys April 26, 2021
https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/files/gmo-genetically-engineered-mosquitoes-florida-release-opposition-local-residents 07790.jpg
Community members, environmental and public health groups condemn first-ever U.S. release, which will total to up to a billion mosquitoes over a two-year period
MARATHON, Fla. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) and Oxitec, a British biotech company, will begin the first-ever U.S. release of genetically engineered (GE) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes this week.
Despite scientific concerns and public outcry over the human health and environment risks, the field trial s first phase will release up to 144,000 GE mosquitoes over the course of the next 12 weeks. The full trial will release up to a billion GE mosquitoes over a two-year period in Monroe County, Florida. The mosquitoes are being released in Cudjoe Key, Ramrod Key and Vaca Key. Community r
Florida residents say release of a BILLION genetically engineered mosquitos in Keys is TERRORISM dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
After roughly 10 years of debate and permitting, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and Oxitec announced Friday that the release of genetically modified mosquitoes will begin as early as next week.
Project managers anticipate that, during the last week of April and first week of May, release boxes, non-release boxes and netted quality control boxes will be placed in six locations: two on Cudjoe Key, one on Ramrod Key and three on Vaca Key in Marathon, according to Oxitec spokeswoman Meredith Fensom.
Locations were selected based on confirmed presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, sufficient space to place a network of mosquito traps around the release sites and sufficient distance from sewage treatment plants, as specified by the Environmental Protection Agency permit, Nathan Rose, head of regulatory affairs for Oxitec, told The Key West Citizen on Friday.
Oxitec release starts next week keysnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from keysnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.