The question of fish consciousness and sentience has profound implications for how we farm, catch, and release fish, and the science increasingly supports meaningful capacity for pain and stress in fish.
The scientific consensus on fish sentience has strengthened considerably over the past two decades, and the welfare implications are substantial. Aquaculture practices such as ice slurry killing, stressful crowding, and inadequate water quality are increasingly difficult to justify if fish are capable of suffering. Recreational angling must similarly grapple with catch-and-release welfare - hooks cause injury, air exposure causes stress, and mishandled fish face mortality. The most constructive response is not to ban aquaculture or angling but to reform practices to minimise suffering - through humane slaughter methods, stress reduction during handling, and ongoing research into welfare indicators. This is an area where public awareness, policy change, and scientific literacy all have important roles.