Are we cruel to fish?

I am not sure whether it was on Countryfile last Sunday or another programme, but a University has now been able to prove beyond doubt that fish feel fear, as well as pain.

Interesting I thought.
They were also discussing that because it has always been assumed that these poor creatures are incapable of feeling anything, there are no welfare regs, or slaughter rules to protect them like there are for other animals.

They were showing a fish farm - can't remember where it was - where at their death, they are made to swim along a narrow 'pipe' which leads them straight into a water where they will be electrocuted.
Some were stunned, but sometimes they were still conscience.

It made me think of the Jews being ushered along into gas chambers.

Apparently other methods of killing these creatures is either hitting their head hard, or driving a sharp spike into their brain!

Pretty ghastly when you think about it, isn't it.

The people were discussing whether if this feeling of fear and pain is truly so, will rules and regs have to be changed regarding the killing of fish in the futre, to try and ensure they have the same protection from barbaric slaughter methods as other animals have.


I wish I could find the right link to show you, but I can't.
This other link it quite interesting though:


http://fishcount.org.uk/fish-welfare...mane-slaughter

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

I used to be a keen angler.
I went to a SeaLife centre where a rather large ray was responding to people and even coming up to be fussed.
Never went fishing again.

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

I always think it is cruel when fishermen leave them gasping on deck. what a terrible death that must be for them.

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

Yes, I know what you mean dongle, I hate seeing that too.
It says about that at the bottom of the link I put. Sometimes they are gutted while they are still alive too.

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

''Air asphyxiation. This is the oldest slaughter method for fish and is considered inhumane because it can take the fish over an hour to die. One Dutch study found that it took 55–250 minutes for various species of fish to become insensible during asphyxiation.''

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

Terrible when you think about it, isn't it.

Why are they not controlled by legislation like other animals?
No body seems to give a hoot how they suffer.

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

It always takes governments years to get around to the important stuff Mups.

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

Actually those methods are far more humane than others. A quick sharp rap on the head with a wooden rod is a fisherman's standard way to dispatch a fish. It's pretty instant if done right so the fish doesn't suffer.

A spike into the brain likewise.

Other animals in this same ethical discussion are the crab and lobster. As most know, chefs traditionally keep these creatures alive in tanks of water up to the point someone wants to eat them. Then the age old way of killing them is just to lob them whilst alive, into a large pot of boiling water.

That's a pretty horrific death, to be boiled alive.

The more humane amongst us will take a screwdriver or similar pointed object and jab it into the "skull" area just between the eyes. This kills the animal instantly. Then they can be boiled without suffering.

Once we are resigned to eating fish as a food source we have to accept that the scales of catching and production are large.
Millions of fish are caught and processed and so one can not give each animal a personal dignified execution.

Electrocution is probably quite humane as it will knock them out very swiftly.

What I do abhor is the sport of angling. Whilst I absolutely see the enjoyment and peaceful solitude of sitting on the bank of a sun dappled river watching a float, the fact remains that the fisherman in most cases has intention to hook a fish, watch it struggle helplessly on the line until it gives up having exhausted itself at which point the fisherman lifts it out of the water, removes the hook (usually leaving gaping holes in the mouth) , possibly takes a selfie with it, and then just throws it back in the water.

As a sport/pastime this is actually pretty barbaric and utterly stupid yet a great deal of pleasure is derived in the process.

Fishing in order to catch, kill and eat the animal is fine.
Fishing for fun with intent to lob the fish back in is ridiculous and imho should be stopped.

The very worst examples are those small lakes and ponds which are artificially stocked with fish and which see moronic anglers sitting there day in day out pulling out the same fish time and time again and throwing them back in. This IS like shooting fish in a barrel which equally these idiots would do if it were allowed !

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

I've long thought we are cruel to them, I think also the act of fishing is cruel to other creatures too. We lost a local swan a couple of years ago to a fishing line left by the canal, I've seen ducks full of lead weights too. Sea fishing they can catch all sorts of creatures we don't eat that die for nothing.

So yes we are a cruel race.

Re: Are we cruel to fish?

Thing is we have to eat...I saw a programme a few years ago that recorded and enhanced a tomato screaming when you sliced it. It's a cruel world but we have to eat, sometimes it's better not to know.