scientists want to change the sex of the Algarve sea bass

My friends, this was taken from Expresso newspaper:

http://expresso.sapo.pt/cientistas-algarvios-querem-modificar-sexo-dos-robalos=f740426

Scientists want to change the sex of the Algarve sea bass

Effect of temperature may be the cause of excess male bass fish farms.

Investigators of the University of Algarve think the solution lies in the production of transgenic zebrafish.

A group of researchers at the University of Algarve (UAlg) is trying to artificially modify the sex of bass to inhibit the formation of male agency Lusa said today the director of the Center for Marine Sciences (CCMAR).

In declarations to Lusa, Adelino Canário explains that in fish farms there is much more males than females, a phenomenon which may be due to the effect of temperature in the early stages of sexual differentiation.

Although the research focus on the bass, the theories that the group will be tested in developing zebrafish, equivalent to the "lab rat" of the fish, which are more easily kept in aquariums, because they are minors.

The idea is to produce transgenic zebrafish, the introduction of a gene which also exists in humans (DAX1) and which functions to inhibit the formation of strain male added.

Researchers are attempting to correlate the temperature increase the proliferation of male - which limits the production capacity of the fish farms - for modifying the conditions under which the culture is made. According to the biologist, most males that there leads to reproduce these earlier, using its energy to reproduce and not to grow.

"Farmers want to sell big fish and the flesh of fish is not as good when they come into play," points out, adding that the study aims to find a way to inhibit the formation of males.

In nature, the bass is reproduced at a temperature ranging from 13 to 15 degrees, but in fish farming the water reaches a temperature between 18 and 20 degrees, referred.

The study, funded by the European Commission, is being conducted under the European project "Lifecycle" (in Portuguese, life cycle), involving more European teams and fish species.

The CCMAR, whose object of study is the sea and marine organisms, includes in its team 250 researchers, technicians and students, producing about 200 scientific papers per year.

This probably sounds silly, but wouldn't it be simpler - and safer - to regulate the temperature, than to manipulate the genes of seabass?

In my opinion, this is a complete stupidity, we have problems with weather, with ozone lair, excessive heat which causes meltdowns of icebergs in the cold / icy areas of the world, which threats animal species, and now, these morons wants to change also the course of nature? Who the hell does these morons thinks they are? Perhaps they think they own nature.

Inside link above, comment from jpafonso:

"there is something in this news which does not sound right.

Let´s reflect, if we take their arguments to the end, then it is concluded that the bass begin to reproduce as soon as possible when there is only bass ... males.

The argument should be misconstrued. Moreover, the male of any kind is required less energy to reproduction than to females.

This aspect may explain why the males are greater in certain species (sexual competition when falling on them, because they are not necessary), but also because other, are the smallest.

Thus, the flesh of the male bass would not be even more abundant than the female?

Two hypotheses: 1. More males mean more conflicts between fish growth disturbances in them. 2. More males in a closed environment hormonally induce a premature sexual maturation in females.

The problem here could even be solved by hormonal supplements in water or greater circulation or space on this.

The text speaks of the effects of higher temperature phase of sexual differentiation. Now it offers a simple way to solve the problem if the fish have full control of its phases: WHERE lower the temperature the eggs are.

These take up less space than the adult fish.

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This comment mentions exactly what you wrote bb1, which I agree.

Thanks, Pedro, I am glad scientific people thing it's a stupid idea, too.

yes bb1, it is a stupid idea.