Do vegans eat fish?

Peer-reviewed evidence (Sneddon 2003 onward) confirms fish have nociceptors, opioid receptors, and behavioural responses consistent with pain perception. The FAO estimates 0.79–2.3 trillion fish are killed each year by commercial fishing — the largest animal-use industry on the planet by number.

Bycatch (dolphins, turtles, sharks, seabirds) and 46% of ocean plastic (Science 2018) both come primarily from fishing gear. Algal-oil supplements provide the DHA and EPA people traditionally sought from fish, without the mercury or microplastics.

Include foods like 'mock-tuna' made from mashed chickpeas to satisfy the craving for savory, flaky textures without harming sea life. A 2021 study in the journal Animal Sentience provided evidence that fish show complex social behaviors and memory, suggesting a level of awareness that warrants ethical consideration. Rejecting fish is a direct way to protest the devastating practice of bottom trawling, which destroys entire underwater ecosystems in seconds.