The scientific consensus on fish pain has shifted dramatically in recent decades. Understanding the evidence and its policy implications helps advocates engage effectively with this important issue.
The welfare implications of fish pain recognition are enormous given the scale of fishing and aquaculture. If fish experience pain — and the evidence is now substantial — then current fishing practices, which cause billions of fish to die from suffocation, pressure changes, and physical trauma without any pain relief, represent one of the largest sources of preventable animal suffering on Earth. The gap between the science and current practice is vast, and closing it even partially would represent a massive welfare improvement.