Fish feel pain is the battle cry of animal rights activists who would love to see a ban on recreational fishing and all use of fish by humans. Their claim is rooted in research purporting to demonstrate beyond doubt that fish and aquatic invertebrates are capable of experiencing pain. The fish feel pain claim has gained traction over the last 20 years, and in many parts of the world legislation now recognises fish as ‘sentient’ beings, with some potentially dire and far-reaching consequences for the 3 billion people worldwide whose livelihoods depend on fish and fishing. This book puts the widely accepted dogma under the scientific, social and philosophical microscope. And its findings challenge the whole premise that fish feel pain.
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