User:Brisaintedits/Fish slaughter

Fish Slaughter
Fish slaughter is the process of killing fish, typically after harvesting at sea or from fish farms. At least one trillion fish are killed each year for commercial consumption. Some fish harvesting uses controversial methods like suffocation in air, carbon-dioxide stunning, or ice chilling that have been called inhumane by many organizations such as the World Organisation for Animal Health. However, due to many culture's reliance on fish, some alternative methods of slaughter have been developed. Some methods include percussive stunning, pithing, shooting, and electrical stunning. These methods face criticism, but are equally as effective. Despite this, these method still face criticism along with some arguing that no such method may ever be humane.

Fish Sentience
The main argument against fish slaughter, and inhumane slaughtering practices, is that fish are sentient. Sentience is defined as consciousness and an ability to perceive feeling. The level of fish sentience is a highly debated topic in many countries. Their genetic distance from humans has made the protection of fish welfare a less relevant topic. In actuality, the level of intelligence within fish is similar, if not greater, than other vertebrates. It has been proven that fish feel pain at the same capacity as other vertebrates, as well. In studies, some fish have been proven to have the capability to remember other fish and places.