The marine ornamental fish trade moves millions of wild-caught fish annually. Collection methods, transport stress and acclimatization mortality represent major welfare concerns across the supply chain.
The marine ornamental fish trade causes welfare harm at multiple points in the supply chain. Cyanide fishing, despite being illegal throughout the major supply countries, is estimated to be used in 80-90% of the Philippine trade. Fish exposed to cyanide experience neurological effects and internal damage that causes delayed death after apparent recovery - making them appear healthy at point of sale while carrying a death sentence. Physical collection by nets causes acute stress, scale loss and injury. Export packing involves high density and oxygen saturation that maintain fish alive but in highly stressed conditions. Mortality at each stage of the supply chain means that for every fish that arrives in a home aquarium, multiple others have died. The total welfare cost across billions of individual fish is enormous.