Billions of fish die every year in nets and on hooks. Humans kill most fish for consumption, torture many just for “sport,” and maim or kill other unintended victims simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
No matter how they're raised or caught, eating fish supports cruelty to animals. Order PETA's free vegan starter kit for great tips and recipes to help you make the transition to fish-free vegan meals. TAKE ACTION!
Fish have nerves, just like cats, dogs, and humans, so they can feel pain. Hooked fish endure not only physical pain but also terror. When they're removed from their natural environment, they start to suffocate. Just imagine the horrible feeling you'd experience if you were trapped underwater.
Cruel slaughter
Fish are usually removed from the water and left to suffocate and die. They desperately attempt to escape as their gills collapse preventing them from being able to breathe. Larger animals, such as tuna and swordfish, are usually clubbed to death.
The wild wriggling and squirming fish do when they're hooked and pulled from the water during catch-and-release fishing isn't just an automatic response—it's a conscious reaction to the pain they feel when a hook pierces their lips, jaws, or body.
Some fish may die even though they appear unharmed and despite efforts at revival. Fish that struggle intensely for a long time during capture are usually exhausted and stressed from the accumulation of excessive amounts of lactic acid in their muscles and blood.
Fish have numerous nociceptors in their mouths and thus getting hooked is certainly a painful experience for them.
Fish become frustrated and unhappy when kept in cramped bowls or tanks. House fish in a large filtered tank. All tanks should have a pump to keep water flowing continuously.
Ethical vegans believe that eating fish is unjust, harmful to animals, humans, and the planet. They also recognize the individuality of fishes and understand that being human does not justify complete control over the life of another being who thinks and feels as we do.
The highly crowded and unnatural conditions on fish factory farms mean that fish can become chronically stressed, which in turn can suppress their immune systems. The pollution generated by enclosing so many animals in small spaces can also give rise to the spread of diseases, thanks to the rapid build-up of excrement.
Second, the cerebral cortex in humans is fundamental for the awareness of sensory stimuli. Third, fish lack a cerebral cortex or its homologue and hence cannot experience pain or fear.
Fish have gills that allow them to “breathe” oxygen dissolved in the water. Water enters the mouth, passes over the gills, and exits the body through a special opening. This keeps an adequate amount of water in their bodies and they don't feel thirsty.
Research has shown that, like mammals, they have pain receptors (nociceptors) that detect injury. And, although their nervous systems and brains are different from ours, they are capable of experiencing pain.
PETA is an animal rights organization that opposes speciesism, and the abuse of animals in any way, such as for food, clothing, entertainment, or research.
“Much like animals in the real world,” read PETA's statement, “Pokémon are treated as unfeeling objects and used for such things as human entertainment and as subjects in experiments.
PETA operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. PETA informs policymakers and the public about animal abuse and promotes kind treatment of animals.
Some pescatarians believe a meat-based diet is bad for the environment. They feel that land animals raised for food use too many natural resources and add to pollution. Many people, though, choose this fish-based plan for their health.
Farmed clams, cockles, and mussels not only help prevent damage to marine environments, but they actually help to filter water at the aquacultures (or fish farms) where they're raised. In fact, it's argued that farming bivalves might be the least cruel—and most sustainable—option in the world of fish farming.
Fish is a good source of lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. Seafood is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Additionally, pescatarians consume more fruits and vegetables than people who eat meat. This means they get more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Fish often remain unusually still after a fellow dies in the same aquarium. Researchers say this behavior is probably due to stress hormones released into the water by the dying fish.
Feeling angry at yourself for what you think you could or should have done to save your fish is also a normal stage of grieving. Don't be too hard on yourself, however. Many people feel depressed after the loss of a pet. It is okay to cry or feel sad for a while immediately following the death.
Fish don't really know they're wet. But what about you? Have you ever thought that you might be immersed in an environment and not know it? Like fish are unaware of being in water, many Christians are just as unaware of the postmodern world they live in and the influence it has on their lives.
Here is a news article I found on the topic: Worms on a Hook Don't Suffer? OSLO (Reuters) - Worms squirming on a fishhook feel no pain -- nor do lobsters and crabs cooked in boiling water, a scientific study funded by the Norwegian government has found.
Scholars have long recognised that the survival value of pain means many animals experience it, supposedly with the exception of insects. But we surveyed more than 300 scientific studies and found evidence that at least some insects feel pain.
Research has clearly shown that lobsters, crabs, and other crustaceans can and do experience pain. Scientists have shown that their reaction to painful stimuli is more than just a reflex response and instead, they learn from painful stimuli and change their behavior.