Whitebait and Juvenile Fish Welfare: The Ethics of Fry Fisheries

Whitebait fisheries harvest juvenile fish before they can reproduce. The welfare and ecological ethics of catching young fish raise important questions about sustainable and humane fishing.

Key Facts

Whitebait is a culinary term for the fry of several fish species, including herring, sprat, and smelt
New Zealand whitebait fisheries target the juveniles of several native galaxiid species
Whitebait are typically eaten whole, alive or minimally processed
Juvenile fish have all the sensory and neural structures needed for pain responses
Whitebait fishing with fine-mesh nets captures any juvenile fish in the water column
Many whitebait species are now listed as threatened due to overfishing and habitat loss

Welfare Considerations

Whitebait are typically caught in fine-mesh nets and killed by exposure to air or immersion in boiling water while alive. Their small size may contribute to underestimation of their welfare significance, but the evidence for fish pain experience applies regardless of body size. New Zealand whitebait galaxiids are now among the most threatened freshwater fish in the country, with several species at risk of extinction from overfishing. Eating juvenile fish before they reproduce multiplies the population-level harm compared to catching adult fish.

What You Can Do

Avoid purchasing whitebait products, particularly from threatened native species
Support New Zealand and other national bans on whitebait fishing of threatened galaxiid species
Advocate for regulations requiring minimum fish size in all commercial fisheries
Learn about the evidence for pain and suffering in juvenile fish and share it with fishing communities