ASK A VEGAN
Doveganseatfish?
No. Fish are sentient animals capable of pain and fear, and industrial fishing devastates marine ecosystems.
FOOD
Short answer
No. Fish are sentient animals capable of pain and fear, and industrial fishing devastates marine ecosystems.
FOOD
The detail
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.
Source: FAO SOFIA 2022; Sneddon LU, Proc R Soc B 2003
RELATED
More questions like this
- Why don't vegans drink milk?
Dairy cows are repeatedly impregnated and separated from their calves, and most humans lose the ability to digest lactose after infancy.
- How do vegans get omega-3 without fish?
Flax, chia, walnuts and hemp for ALA; algal oil for DHA and EPA. Fish get their omega-3 from algae — vegans just skip the middle step.
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