I was put on to this other weekend piece from Karen Dawn as well.
The editors gave this opinion from behavioral biologist Victoria Braithwaite a great title. It makes a strong case for erring on the side of the argument that fish feel pain, due to her studies, yes, inflicting pain on fish:
So do we have to change the way we treat fish? Some still argue that fish brains are so less well developed than those of birds and mammals that it isn't possible for fish to suffer. In my view, that case is not proven.It's good that she's raising the ethical quandry here, despite the cruelty necessary for her to make a case on behalf of fish, and it opens the door for positive feedback to the Times and its readers, encouraging people to take a more sympathetic approach to all creatures, and to adopt a plant-based diet.
Moreover, we actually have as much evidence that fish can suffer as we do that chickens can. I think, therefore, that we should adopt a precautionary ethical approach and assume that in the absence of evidence to the contrary, fish suffer.
Labels: animal ethics, fish
