RECENTLY it has been claimed by animal rights groups that fish and certain
aquatic invertebrates like crabs and squid are “sentient beings” that feel
pain. However, a new review paper published in the high ranking scientific
journal Reviews in Fisheries Science and Aquaculture shows these claims ignore
several time honoured principles of sound science.
The authors of the paper include a global list of eminent fisheries and
aquaculture scientists who have worked on aquatic animal welfare for decades.
They provide 10 reasons which show these recent claims are fraught with
misconceptions that limit their scientific credibility. So befuddled is the
state of play in this field at the moment, with apologies to Winston Churchill,
the authors conclude that:
“Never before in the field of human food security, has so much been put at
risk for so many, based on so few verifiable facts.”
The paper presents several case studies which demonstrate real risks to global
food security which would arise if “feelings based” welfare criteria advocated
by animal rights groups are blindly accepted without question. If readers were
in any doubt about this, the case study of the RSPCA threatening prosecution of
a restaurateur in Melbourne, Australia, for holding mud crabs with their claws
tied is a real eye opener. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24242444.v1
The paper is compulsory reading for anyone who fishes or works with aquatic
animals, and is freely available for download at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23308249.2023.2257802