What is a 'Sea Kitten'?

Will calling a fish a 'sea kitten' help people view fish more humanely? Well, People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) seems to think so – they recently launched a nation-wide Save The Sea Kittens Campaign.

The campaign is designed to help people rethink how fish are treated. PETA’s Save The Sea Kitten Campaign coordinator Ashley Byrne is planning to travel across the country to elementary schools that serve fish for lunch to remind people that fish are intelligent animals deserving of a second look. Fish, and other sea creatures, have long been excluded from the circle of compassion that includes many other animals.

PETA is pushing the new campaign to highlight the complexity of fish. They explain that the campaign is important as, “…fish enjoy companionship, communicate and develop relationships with each other, show affection by gently rubbing against each other, and grieve when their companions die”. Scientific reports confirm what many marine biologists have been saying for years: fish feel pain, just as all animals do.

Even the most uncompassionate individual has to admit that the lives of fish are not that great. When taken from the ocean, fish often undergo decompression, which causes their eyes to pop out and pushes their stomachs out through their mouths. When they are tossed onto ships' decks, fish slowly suffocate or are crushed to death. Fish at fish farms spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy tanks before being violently killed. Angling, or sport fishing, also causes enormous suffering as a high percentage of fish caught in catch-and-release tournaments die within a matter of days. Fish in aquariums often live short unpleasant lives of confinement.

If everyone started calling fish 'sea kittens,' they'd be a lot less likely to kill them for food, hook them for sport or confine them to aquariums, explains Byrne. "We think that kids will be the first to embrace the new name."

Visit: http://www.peta.org/sea_kittens/

Comments (1) Add Comment

MANY fish are cannibals. A pregnant guppy has to be placed in a special box when she gives birth, or she will often eat her own babies as soon as they come out. Trout and salmon are caught on salmon eggs. Some of the most effective bass lures are swimbaits that resemble young bass. Many bass fishermen have started reeling in a small bass only to have it eaten by a larger bass. "fish enjoy companionship, communicate and develop relationships with each other, show affection by gently rubbing against each other, and grieve when their companions die”- give me a break!!

How about this-go ahead and fish, but use only fish-shaped lures. That way you are saving the smaller "sea kittens" from bullies.
written by Jeff , June 22, 2010

Write comment

Show/Hide comment form