Why is the fisherman statue replaced by “Fish Amnesty Day”?

The profit-driven fishing industry wants people to stay Catch In its misleading marketing Lines That hides horrific suffering and death. When we think of fish, they want us to imagine them as incapable of feeling pain and fear because they don’t look like us or our dogs and cats—yet fish have demonstrated self-awareness, pain, fear, preferences, memory, and strength. to get to know. And in some coastal cities and towns, there are statues of humans fishing — like the fisherman statue at Woodley Island Marina in Eureka, California — which pays tribute to all the fish that lost their lives.

However, when we delve deeper into empathy, we arrive at a stunning moat of truth: fish – and everyone Marine animals – a highly diverse group of species (many of which are yet to be discovered), each consisting of countless individuals with distinct personalities, intelligence, and sensibilities. As with whaling, human attitudes are catching up, and people are now less inclined to support fishing than in the past. despite this, The fishing industry is destroyed Billions of lives Every year, our oceans and their inhabitants are destroyed. It’s up to us to clear the murky waters of speciesism, make kind daily choices, and… never Eat marine life.

He urged the city of Eureka, California, to replace the fisherman statue

Before Fish Amnesty Day on September 23, PETA sent a letter to Kim Bergel, Mayor of Eureka. We ask – at a time when more than 19 million Americans refuse to support industries that slaughter countless animals and destroy the environment – that the City remove the Hunter statue and replace it with an animal-friendly sculpture. We also offer to donate a fish statue made from discarded fishing gear, like the one shown below.

Hopefully a different sculpture, like the one showing discarded fishing gear left behind, will encourage residents and visitors to go “litter fishing” (removing litter from the sea) rather than supporting the deadly fishing industry. An animal-friendly artwork would also honor lives Billions of fish are killed annually for direct and indirect human consumption (many fish are killed to feed the fish we eat) and the lives of all the animals killed Killed as ‘bycatch’ Every year – including 300,000 whales and dolphins, 50 million sharks and rays, and 250,000 turtles..

Many of the animals that are cruelly killed by bycatch are at the top of the food chain, which can lead to the collapse of entire ecosystems. A 2022 study found that enough fishing line is lost in the ocean each year to circle the Earth 18 times, and that fishermen lose more than 25 million pots and traps as well as nearly 14 billion long hooks, posing a major threat to marine animals.

PETA first introduced Fish Pardon Day — observed annually on the fourth Saturday in September — in 1997 to remind everyone that fish should be respected. no killing. However, humans kill more fish for food each year than all other animals combined Fish feel pain Just as mammals and birds do.

Down with any fishing statue and everything it represents: why you should never eat fish

Fish are intelligent, social, sensitive animals. They remember other individuals, build complex social networks, and can recognize themselves in a mirror. They know when they are being watched and change their behavior accordingly. The fish also showed symptoms similar to those of clinical depression in humans.

“The neurochemistry[between humans and fish]is so similar that it’s scary.”
—Julian Pittman, professor at the University of Alabama

However, about 40% of fish caught are unintentionally caught and then thrown back into the sea, already dead or dying.

“Eating fish and other animals…is harmful to human health. We can get everything we need… (being) vegetarian… including omega-3 fatty acids and protein – without any of the mercury, PCBs or other toxins found in fish flesh. And with delicious vegetarian varieties of every type of seafood, people can enjoy all the familiar dishes they love without the cruelty, toxins or cholesterol.
—Ingrid Newkirk, president and founder of PETA

The only way we humans should be hanging Marine life is driven by wonder and compassion.

Take action for the fish

Never eat fish – or any the animals. Go “trash hunting” to save life in the ocean. If you see a statue of a human fishing, ask local actors to replace it with an animal-friendly statue.