The legal protection of fish from pain and suffering varies enormously between countries, with UK legislation among the most progressive globally.
The exclusion of fish from welfare legislation in most countries means trillions of animals are killed annually with no legal requirement to minimise suffering. Even where fish are legally protected, commercial fishery exemptions mean the largest source of fish suffering is unregulated. The UK approach of including fish in vertebrate welfare protections is a model that other countries should adopt, and the exemptions for commercial fishing need urgent review.