How to Advocate for Fish
Fish are some of the most misunderstood animals on earth.
Often overlooked as “less intelligent,” fish are actually quite the opposite. With more than 30,000 species of fish on earth, a wide variety of them have proven to be fast learners with long-term memories.
And beyond their intelligence, aquatic animals are essential for the sustainability of the marine ecosystem.
Despite these facts, the welfare of aquatic animals is often ignored by mainstream animal welfare organizations, yet they are the most farmed animals in the world. General issues aquatic animals face include crowding, slaughter, water quality, handling, feeding and breeding.
This study by Mercy For Animals in 2017 (pictured below) examined the perception of various animals by the general public, showing that fish were perceived more poorly compared to dogs, chimps and pigs. This shows that education and support for aquatic life is essential.
So how can you begin advocating for fish?
1. Education
Education is key to understanding the diverse issues that aquatic animals face. Once we have the knowledge we can then educate others about fish sentience and welfare. The scientific evidence is clear that we need to focus on sustainability within our marine ecosystem, but there’s also an increasing amount of studies that display the sentience of marine animals and a need for us to protect them.
2. Engage
Engaging with decision makers to encourage improvements for fish welfare that support sustainable options, promoting policy change at a local or national level to the standards of fish welfare. We can protect fish in different ways, depending on an individuals experience, career or network.
3. Action
Taking action is important to improving the welfare for fish. A simple way individuals can do this is by consuming less fish, limiting plastic consumption, or by campaigning for legislation that improves the lives of aquatic animals.
4. Support
Globally, there’s many organizations conducting important animal welfare work, but there’s still a lack of support specifically for fish. Not only is it essential we recognize fish as individuals, but also as but essential to the health of our oceans and planet. You can support the work we do here.