Fish suffer by the trillions – with every one of them being a sensitive individual who thinks and feels. And the suffering goes far beyond the fish you see at the grocery store and in restaurants…
1. Animals pulled from their ocean homes suffer painful deaths
Fish feel pain. When they are pulled up from the depths of the ocean, the change in pressure can cause their eyes and internal organs to burst. If they survive this, they may be crushed to death under the weight of other animals in the enormous nets. For most, death comes as they slowly suffocate on the decks of ships.
Caring consumers would never stand for this extreme suffering of animals on land – but out in the middle of the ocean, no one can see their suffering.
2. Dolphins, turtles and sharks are being killed too
Fish aren’t the only animals who suffer from commercial fishing. Huge fishing nets and longlines with thousands of hooks are indiscriminate, and millions of animals – including dolphins, sharks, turtles, and rays – suffer every year as ‘collateral damage’.
After being trapped and pulled on deck, if these “non-target” animals are thrown back into the ocean alive, many are injured, in shock, and in some cases already dying – these animals are extremely vulnerable to being preyed upon.
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3. Fish are being pulled from the sea at an unsustainable rate
Australia’s fishing industry has been called out for not allowing fish populations to recover. Ultimately, consumer demand for “seafood” is the reason sea animals are being captured and killed at such a rate.
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To help protect the intricate ecosystems off Australia’s coast and throughout the high seas, we can choose to simply leave sea animals in the sea – where they belong.
4. Ghost nets and other fishing-related plastics are polluting the sea
Plastics are life-threatening to marine animals – they can easily become entangled in floating plastic and die slow, painful deaths, or be predated upon when unable to escape.
According to a Greenpeace report, fishing ‘ghost gear’ makes up the majority of large ocean plastics (by weight). A different study in 2018 analysing the contents of the world’s largest floating patch of garbage, ‘the great Pacific garbage patch’, discovered that nearly half of it was discarded or lost fishing nets.
In June 2024, a humpback whale was discovered tangled in 800kg of fishing equipment and rope off the Gippsland coast.
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As well as entangling fish, plastic is also being ingested. Large plastic in the ocean breaks down into microplastics, which is not only a threat to animals, but also to humans too. Scientists have found microparticles of plastic in the bodies of humans as a result of eating fish and other sea animals who commonly ingest plastic by accident.
As the consumer demand for ‘seafood’ fuels the fishing industry, being aware of its contribution to ocean pollution – and animal suffering – can make us more conscious consumers.
5. Fish farms are cruel and destructive too
The farmed fish industry has extensive environmental, ecological, and welfare issues – essentially, fish farms are underwater factory farms.
The ability of sea animals to suffer is largely ignored by the industries that fish and farm them. Prawn farms, as one example, cut the eye stalks off live female prawns, usually without pain relief – just to make them breed faster.
Wildlife in search of food also gravitate to fish farms. In an attempt to prevent animals from eating fish penned in these underwater factory farms, the industry uses ‘deterrents’ such as lead-filled projectiles, sedation darts, explosive charges or “crackers”. Even protected seals are being shot at. There have been incidences of seals being blinded and deafened and even killed as a result of these ‘deterrent methods’.
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Most people are also surprised to learn that to feed fish in their farms, the industry uses commercially caught wild fish. You can read more about the issues with the farmed fish industry here.
The good news: there’s a better, kinder way…
The kindest and most sustainable choice we can make is to leave sea animals in their ocean homes. By opting for ocean-inspired dishes that are friendlier to all, you can help protect marine life while still enjoying all the classics (with a twist!), from ‘fish and chips’ to ‘crabcakes’. A plant-based diet can provide all the nutrients your body needs to thrive, including omega 3.
Keen to learn more? Explore delicious, animal-friendly eating with our free Veg Starter Kit, available here, and shape a brighter future for animals and our shared planet with every meal.
