| Brochure: Fishing |  |
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Fishing Sinking the Myths
Contrary to its proponents' claims, there is nothing sporting, wholesome or conservationist about fishing.
Common sense, as well as scientific evidence, tells us that fish experience pain. In fact, all vertebrates (animals with
backbones)- whether they are cold or warm blooded, two or four footed, feathered or with scales- feel pain and can suffer
from stress.
Fish have particularly sensitive mouths, which are important not only for feeding, but also for building nests and for hiding
their offspring from danger. Fishing hooks tear apart the fragile mouths of fish. Swallowed hooks damage internal organs.
Hooks can also become caught in the gills or eyes of fish.
In deep-sea fishing, use of sharp metal hooks called gaffs is quite common. Gaffs are impaled into the body of a
fully-conscious fish to make it easier to load the fish onto the boat.
An increasingly popular form of fishing, where the fish is hooked, "played" to exhaustion, and finally thrown back, is known
as catch-and-release.
Many of these fish are released maimed and doomed to a slow, painful death. Mortality can result from swallowed hooks,
careless handling resulting in broken jaws or internal injuries, and stress or exhaustion- conditions that can lead to death
even days after release. A previously-caught fish that does manage to stay alive can be identified by the torn mouth and net
marks on the body, wounds that often become infected.
Simply removing a fish from water can be harmful. Even the stress caused by pressure and temperature changes from pulling a
fish up from deep water can be fatal. Handling a fish, by hand or with a net, removes the outer protective mucous barrier
leaving the fish open to infection.
Live bait includes any living animal or parts of dead animals, such as heads, eyes, or eggs, that can be fastened to a hook to
induce a fish to bite. In Florida, animals commonly used as live bait include frogs, minnows and other small fish, slugs and
insects. Frogs are hooked through the leg or back and drowned. Minnows are pierced with one or two hooks through the eye
sockets, tail, lips, or back, and are then cast into the water where they are either eaten, drown or suffocate from being
pulled through the water, or die of their injuries.
Fish are not the only casualties of fishing. Lost and discarded fishing tackle- hooks, line, and "sinkers" (weights)is the leading
cause of accidental injury and death of sea birds, and contributes to the injury and death of other wildlife as well. Birds pick
up hooks and weights while feeding and become entangled in the nearly-invisible fishing line. Pelicans, egrets, herons, osprey,
green turtles, and manatees in Florida have all been found with injuries from fishing tackle. Entanglement can lead to
starvation, or, if the line has cut off blood circulation in a foot or wing, can lead to infection and eventually death.
Line can be cut by the fish's teeth, get snagged on vegetation or rocks, or just break under the strain caused by the fish
struggling. The result is lost line, with hooks and weights attached. Today's fishing line is not easily biodegradable and
remains a hazard to wildlife for many years.
Animal Rights Foundation of Florida |
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