When Did Fish Become a Vegetable?
A Fish Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Danny Moss, It's Their Turn
September 2014

[For more, visit FishFeel.org]

So, if you oppose hunting, then shouldn’t you oppose fishing and consuming fish?

Over the years, restaurant servers have suggested fish when I told them I’m vegetarian, and many vegetarians have told me they eat fish. Are these people genuinely confused? Do they not see the fish as animals because they look so much different from cows, chickens and pigs? Or do they want the “vegetarian” label without having to give up fish? Whatever their reasons, can we all agree that fish aren’t vegetables?

Unlike vegetables, fish are sentient — able to feel things. When caught on a sharp hook that pierces their face, they experience pain. When dragged out of the home in nets or by hooks, they suffocate — just as we would if we were held underwater. Why would we inflict that kind of pain on someone? For sport? For a plate of food? Is it really worth it?

While hunting evokes a negative response among many people, fishing does not. In fact, many people view it as a wholesome family activity. But it is far from wholesome. Fishing is a blood sport; it is hunting in the water. So, if you oppose hunting, then shouldn’t you oppose fishing and consuming fish?

---

Return to Fish