torture

manual

101

FISHFEELPAINTOO

Dr. Donald Broom, a scientific

advisor to the British government,

explains that the pain system in fish

is virtually the same as in birds and

mammals. Fish feel pain, just as all

other animals do. Fish can also

suffer from fear and physical pain.

Researchers across America have

published numerous research

which prove that some fish use

sound to communicate their

distress when nets are dipped into

their tanks or when their lives are

otherwise threatened.

INHUMANE

SLAUGHTER

ISTORTURE

Asia has the longest history of

aquaculture production in the world. In

2008, Asia–Pacific countries were

responsible for almost 90% of

the total aquaculture produced and

remains to be the top

aquaculture–producing part of the world,

with eight of the countries included in the

top 10 list. However, there is still

no existing

animal welfare regulations involving

farmed fish. This is also prevalent in the

United States, where there are no

regulations to ensure the humane

treatment of fish.

As many as 40% of farmed fish die before

the aquafarm operator is ready to begin the

slaughter process. Those fish who survive are

starved before they are sent to be slaughtered

in order to reduce waste contamination of the

water during transport. Salmon, for example, are

starved for 10 full days.

STARVATION

Asphyxiation in air involves removing fish from water, causing suffocation and death. This method is extremely aversive to fish, who often show signs of violent escape behaviors as well as maximum stress responses. When fish are taken out of water, their swim bladders explode and their gills start to collaspe, preventing the exchange of oxygen.

ASPHYXIATION

their swim bladdersexplode and theirgills start to collapse

“”

Farmed fish are sometimes submerged in near–freezing water or chilled on ice, believing to dampen muscle movements by the fish and to delay the onset of decay. However, this does not necessarily reduce the sensibility to pain experienced by the fish. Instead, reducing the body temperature extends the time before fish become unconscious. As fish are cold–blooded, allowing them to suffocate on ice prolongs their suffering, causing them to experience excruciating pain for as long as 15 minutes before their death.

ICE CHILLING

FISHFEELPAINTOO

Fish slaughter plants in USA make no effort to stun the fish, who are completely conscious when they start down the slaughter line. Their gills are cut, and they are left to bleed to death, convulsing in pain. This is a process in which fish are taken out from water, held still, and cut to cause them to start bleeding. Research shows that this can leave fish writhing in pain for an average of four minutes, and in some cases, catfish still responded to stimuli after more than 15 minutes upon being cut.

BLEED TO DEATH

BEINGHUMANE

There are numerous humane ways of slaughter that is able to reduce the amount of stress and pain faced by fish during slaughter. Methods such as pecussive stunning or electric stunning provide a swift death for the fish and are easy to execute in fisheries with machines thanks to the technological advances that we have today.

BEINGHUMANE

HUMANE METHODS OF FISH SLAUGHTER

One advantage is that in–water stunning allows fish to be rendered unconscious without stressful handling or displacement.

ELECTRIC STUNNING.This can be a humane mehod when a proper current, duration, conductivity, and temperature is present. One advantage is that in–water stunning allows fish to be rendered unconscious without stressful handling or displacement. However, improper stunning may not successfully induce insensibility long enough to prevent the fish from enduring exsanguinations while still conscious. Electrical stunning has the potential to be a humane method for killing large numbers of fish in the event of a widespread disease.

PERCUSSIVE STUNNING. The traditional method of stunning by means of using a concussive blow to the head remains an inexpensive manner to dispatch fish. The force required will depend on the size of the fish. The blow should be aimed just above the eyes to create impact on the brain. A strike of sufficient energy to the head of a fish results in an immediate loss of sensibility and cause them to be unconscious. Percussive stunning to fish may be irrecoverable, however, bleeding immediately after a stun is able to prevent recovery and could possibly improve appearance, taste and ensure its quality. Today, machines are currently available for stunning salmon and trout.

Commercial fishing causes suffering to fish on a huge scale and this needs to be substantially reduced because fish have their rights too. Firstly, the numbers of fish caught needs to be reduced. Secondly, by developing more humane methods of slaughter and capture, with shorter capture durations. The measures needed to make fishing more sustainable, and to protecting the marine environment, will be central to a strategy for reducing the suffering of wild–caught fish.

Fishing in better managed, healthier fish stocks reduces fuel costs since less fishing effort will be required where stocks are in abundance. Reducing bycatch saves on labour costs and using faster and less stressful methods of capture and killing can also improve eating quality. Hence, animal welfare is key to good quality fish.

FOR THELOVE OF FISH

SAVETHEM

Like any other animal, fish also deserve their rights. By pledging to consume only humanely killed fish, you would be able to help reduce the suffering face by the fish. It would also force fisheries to review their fishing methods and stop the mindless trawling of sea creatures. This way, less sea animals would be fished and we would be able to salvage the problem of decreasing fish in our seas as well.

Join us on the 13 to 15 June at Citylink Mall to learn more about this pressing issue.

Pledge to only eat humanely killed fish.

For More Information, log onto our websitewww.peta.orgvisit our facebook pagefacebook.com/officialpetaor follow us on twitterhttp://twitter.com/peta

Pledgeto end

their torture

http://www.peta.org

Join us on the

12pm to 6pm13 to 15 June from

to learn moreat Citylink Mall