Respect for Fish Day

August 1st is Respect for Fish Day, a day to raise awareness about fish sentience and the plight of the trillions of fish who are exploited each year by the food, science, ‘sport’, and companion animal industries.

Fish are sentient beings with complex social structures.

Sentience means having the capacity to experience feelings, be self-aware, be aware of their environment, and have high cognitive abilities - and fish have all of these. Studies of fish behaviour and cognitive sophistication show that fish communicate with one another, recognise individuals, cooperate between species with interspecies sign language, use landmarks for orientation, and have excellent memories. They also develop a social hierarchy. 

Fish, like all animals, experience pain. Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with tissue damage, triggering motor actions or learned avoidance, and a degree of awareness of the damage or threat of damage. As humans cannot ask animals if they are in pain, we rely on interpreting changes in an animal's behaviour and physiology. Studies of fish show that experiencing pain - such as an electric shock, injection of bee venom, or a hook to their mouth - changes their behaviour. Much like when we experience pain, they eat less, rub the affected area, and their opercular beat (similar to our respiratory) rate increases. In studies where they were given pain relief, they return to their regular behaviours and learnt to avoid the thing that caused them pain, even if it meant sacrificing something they enjoy.

Fish are the most exploited animals on the planet 

Despite fish sentience and their ability to experience pain, they are the most exploited animals on the planet. We kill and abuse trillions in the name of food, science, “sport”, recreation, and companions (pets).

A fish's life is worth more than a meal

To meet consumer demands, fish are captured from the wild and bred in both ocean and land factory farms. The exact number of sea creatures killed yearly is not recorded, as the industry further strips them of their individuality by referring to them by their collective weight. Every year, over 200 million tonnes of fish and other sea creatures are killed. It is estimated that this figure equates to between 1 and 3.1 trillion individual, sentient beings.

Trawler nets haul up tens of thousands of fish in a single load. Many of the fish who are trapped inside the net get crushed or suffocate to death. Longlines are kilometres long with up to 10,000 hooks attached to them. Being caught is incredibly traumatic for the victims, as they can be caught on hooks for hours or days at a time.

Farmed fish spend their entire lives in crowded and filthy enclosures, unable to exhibit their natural behaviours. The poor conditions result in parasitic infections, blindness, deafness, diseases, severe injuries, and even depression. In 2016, researchers examined the brains of sluggish, stunted salmon on farms, and found sky-high measures of the stress hormone cortisol. Their serotonin levels mirrored those of depressed mammals.

No animals belong in a lab

While the exact number of fish used for experimentation is unknown, it is estimated, that roughly 7% of all animals used in research are fish. This is because fish are seen as “cheap” and “expendable”. They are kept in poor conditions, such as small tanks with no enrichment. Fish are used for biomedical research, testing toxicity and the effects of chemicals, and aquaculture studies to expand fish farms.

Fishing is cruel

“Recreational” and “sport” fishing causes immense pain and suffering to billions of fish every year. As mentioned previously, fish feel pain and experience fear. When a fish eats the bait, they can be hooked in their sensitive lip, jaw, throat, gills, and stomach. While in pain, they are then dragged to the surface, causing them immense stress and fear. Once out pulled from the water, they are unable to breathe and begin to suffocate - just like we would if we were dragged underwater. As humans, we’ve found it easy to disconnect from their pain and suffering because we cannot hear their screams.

If they were hunted for “sport”, they might be forced to endure a series of photos - while gasping for air - before being unhooked and released. These fish still experience physical injury and intense stress. As a result, many (up to 99% depending on the method used) do not survive. Their survival depends on what hooks are used, where they are hooked (lip, throat, or stomach), how deep they were caught, and how long they are out of the water (oxygen depletion and lactic acid build-up). Once in the water again, they are more vulnerable to disease and predation when they return to the water, or may starve due to their injuries.

If they were hunted for food, they can be killed by suffocation, freezing to death in ice buckets, blunt force trauma, or having their heads chopped off.

Fish do not belong in tanks

Fish are inquisitive animals, who require enrichment, care, and socialisation - and like any animal, life in captivity can lead to depression. Julian Pittman, professor at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Troy University Alabama states, "The neurochemistry is so similar [to ours] that it's scary." Just as you can become bored when confined to your room or home, life in a tank is incredibly boring for fish. Unlike us, they do not have the freedom to leave, find stimulation, or socialise. Fish become withdrawn and spend more time just floating at the bottom of the tank. If you currently have fish in your care, please provide them with an enriched environment, such as a large tank with real plants to swim through and nibble on, regularly introducing new objects for them to play with, cages for them to explore, and ensuring the water is of high quality, and there is sufficient oxygen.

The lack of knowledge on how to care for fish properly comes from an irresponsible industry. Fish are sold for a low cost, making them easy to purchase, and in general, come with little to no care instructions. Fish are a long-term commitment, and with the right care and love, some varieties can live for up to 30 years! Additionally, the industry is founded on factory farming and overfishing endangered species. Most freshwater fish sold in pet stores are bred on farms - typically in giant tubs. Tropical fish are difficult to breed in tanks and almost all are caught and removed from the wild, contributing to overfishing and species extinction.

How to respect fish

Thank you for wanting to help fish! There are a number of ways you can show them the respect they deserve.

1. Choose to leave fish and other sea creatures off of your plate. By eating plant-based alternatives you are not only saving lives but also helping end the demand, creating a kinder world for sea animals.

2. Only use and purchase vegan and cruelty-free products.

3. If you donate to a charity that conducts medical research testing, check the list by Humane Charities to ensure that they do not conduct cruel animal testing.

4. Enjoy lakes, rivers, and the ocean without fishing and encourage others to do the same. You can still enjoy spending the day outdoors without harming animals.

5. Avoid supporting the pet fish industry:

   • If you are thinking of bringing a companion fish into your home, please look to adopt. You can contact local shelters, the RSPCA, or put a call out on social media.

   • If you already share your home with a fish, please ensure you are meeting your companion’s needs, with an enriched tank.

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Posted 1 August 2022
Updated 26 July 2023