maybe after reading this article you can finally answer the long sorted question,and if you can please tell me the answer..

DO FISH FEEL PAIN


www.slate.com/id/2219276/

More importantly if fish feel pain, would you stop fishing??

Blantant cruelty to any animal shouldnt be allowed but we all eat meat, I think breeding an animal in a small area so that it may be killed and eaten is alot worse than catching a few fish that you will eat or release..they are wild and have a chance.

If you look at animals in general I would say the reaction a fish gives when your pulling a hook is more on the sensation of being pulled..they do not spasm uncontrollably like a dog will if you did the same thing (no I didnt try this on my dog)

I've always thought that fish would feel pain but I don't think that a hook would hurt them anymore than a fin or spine on their prey would inflict.

That was a pretty crappy article haha, reference links were mostly to uk newspapers and not the raw studies and regardless most of it was inconclusive anyway. Cbf writing out a fuller response because I have a major due at 9am but in short I'm not about to stop fishing.

I wanna reply to this one too, as I can point you to research papers supporting both sides of the arguement.

I gotta run out the door and do some work though. Maybe later!

Loved the article, so I tried the same experiment, by also attaching foil micro-toasters to my puppy dog and turning on the heat!

Just like the fishies, my dog acted with very defensive behaviors afterwards, indicating wariness, or fear and anxiety, and it too had developed a lovely brown crust.

I don't know if this proves fish can feel pain, but it certainly seems to indicate that all animals can be toasted!

As far as fish feeling pain, it's been argued over for ever, and even the experts cant seem to agree!

James D Rose, a professor of zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming, who has been working on questions of neurology for almost 30 years has published his report in the American journal "Reviews of Fisheries Science" stating "Anglers rest easy. Fish cannot feel pain, the largest study into piscine neurology has concluded"

Then in the other corner, we have equally qualified professionals, a team of researchers from the Roslin Institute and the University of Edinburgh, headed by Dr Lynne Sneddon, who's report is published in "U.K. Royal Society's Proceedings" claiming that "fish had receptors in their heads called polymodal nociceptors, which respond to tissue-damaging stimuli. The fish also showed "adverse behavioural and physiological changes" when they were subjected to noxious substances.

Who do we believe, and who is correct?
I DONT KNOW, AND I DONT THINK THERE'S ANY DEFINATE WAY THAT YOU CAN KNOW EITHER!

We ALL only draw our own conclusions based on our own limited knowledge, and our own uninformed opinions.

One thing I DO know though, is that our government MUST believe fish don't feel pain, as fish are the ONLY animal which is completely exempt from our Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1972).

So according to Australian legislation you can do whatever you like to a fish! If you wanna put electrodes on their little fishy testicles, stick lit cigarette butts into their little fishy eyes, or force barbed wire up their little fishy rectums, there's absolutely no legislation to prevent you from fulfilling this compulsion! In fact, an RSPCA officer, Fisheries Officer or Police Officer could watch you doing it, and would be completely powerless to stop you!

Oh, and here's the link to a topic I started on this subject long ago: www.strikehook.com/forum/13-the-polling-...78-do-fish-feel-pain

Just do what Rex Hunt does, "kiss it better".

From what I understand Research papers can be a bit "iffy" sometimes.


I think you'd need to be Dr DoLittle to get a definitive answer

If the fish are stupid enough.....................! some times salmon attack bear hooks! if your that dumb they deserve to get caught!

ita all ok now as i asked my fish and he asures me if i find it fun then its fine by him

Sheesh - I must admit, I did not read all the article (the first paragraph seemed a little extreme!) and I have not read ALL the posts - BUT -

I have not tried fishing for fish by the 'Attaching silver foil to the fish first and then adding an electric charge' method. I have always thought of trying this method, but thought I must actually catch a fish to do this cruelty first!! I have added a battery pack and jumper leads and 12m roll of alfoil (black and gold of course) to my 'things to take fishing' list

I tried to inject a snapper with morphine once but have you ever applied a torniquet to a snapper wing??? And then find a vein??? I missed the vein, got my own arm and then the snapper starting talking to me!!!!

Ever tried to catch a bee to bleed some venom?? I still have Mick Jagger lips!! AND-it kills bees to get the venom-so that is another issue!!!

Maybe I should have read the whole story!!

carps wrote:



mmmmmmm ok!

Humf wrote:

What did it say?

And did it have a funny accent talking with those big lips?

carps wrote:


Im starting to wonder, got some yabbies to put in my tank with the turtle, cut there nippers off and im sure they felt it, sure of it..
If not why would they be upside down
Wont be doing that again..

Im not overly bothered by fish feeling pain. I just make sure i dispatch them straight away and with as little nastiness as possible. Im sure sharks dont ask if people feel pain so like these great hunters i just get on with the job at hand with very little thought-except on how to catch more fish