Welfare harms in the ornamental marine fish trade, including cyanide fishing, collection stress, and mortality in the supply chain from reef to aquarium.
The ornamental marine fish trade causes welfare harm at multiple points in the supply chain. Collection from reefs using cyanide or trap methods causes acute physiological stress. Transport in small volumes of water, through multiple handling stages over days, causes further cumulative stress. High mortality rates between collection and retail sale mean individual fish suffering is compounded by mass death. For species that can be captive-bred — clownfish, many seahorse species, some shrimps — the welfare case for choosing captive-bred over wild-caught is clear. For species only available wild-caught, purchasing decisions fund either sustainable or exploitative collection.