95 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

For years a row has raged over whether angling is a cruel sport, and now researchers have waded into the debate by claiming that fish cannot feel pain.

A study has found that, even when caught on a hook and wriggling, the fish is impervious to pain because it does not have the necessary brain power.

The research, conducted by a team of seven scientists and published in the journal Fish and Fisheries, concluded that the fish’s reaction to being hooked is in fact just an unconscious reaction, rather than a response to pain.

http://www.telegraph...scientists.html

[freetoroam]

How about "fear"? just because they can not feel the pain does not mean they can not fear being harped out the water.
mental pain is not the same as bodily pain and I can not see how scientist could ever know how the fish think mentally....I KNOW, fish are not big thinkers.

[AsteroidX]

Im not sure about this. Ive seen em on the end of a hook and it looks to me like they felt it. Maybe not like as much as you or I would but they werent lying there like it didnt hurt.

[WoIverine]

freetoroam, on 13 January 2013 - 02:15 PM, said:

How about "fear"? just because they can not feel the pain does not mean they can not fear being harped out the water.
mental pain is not the same as bodily pain and I can not see how scientist could ever know how the fish think mentally....I KNOW, fish are not big thinkers.

Agreed, but is the fear instinctual? I don't think it is. Schools of small fish swim away from humans, so whatever it is, it's definitely there in them.

[wolfknight]

I will ask the next fish I catch if he is pain.

[Hasina]

So, the muscles are reacting without any impulses from the brain?

Edit: ah, kinda of. Because they don't have the same pain receptors as mammals do, fish 'feel' less pain, though their bodies still react to it.

Edited by Hasina, 14 January 2013 - 02:42 PM.

[HuntrSThompsun]

I say, we hunt down the sharks. If we can feel them bite and they can't feel us, its a sweet deal. Why would we want sharks around anyway?

[WoIverine]

HuntrSThompsun, on 14 January 2013 - 02:46 PM, said:

I say, we hunt down the sharks. If we can feel them bite and they can't feel us, its a sweet deal. Why would we want sharks around anyway?

To equip them with freaking lasers...duh.  

[Hasina]

HuntrSThompsun, on 14 January 2013 - 02:46 PM, said:

I say, we hunt down the sharks. If we can feel them bite and they can't feel us, its a sweet deal. Why would we want sharks around anyway?

Cause, ya know, ecosystem balance and all that old jazz.

[Abramelin]

I think it's nonsense that fish don't feel pain; fromthe article:

An RSPCA spokesman said: “There are a number of studies which we believe provide enough evidence to show that fish do feel pain and this remains our view.”

[pallidin]

Who cares? Fish are for eating anyway.

[freetoroam]

pallidin, on 14 January 2013 - 02:50 PM, said:

Who cares? Fish are for eating anyway.

yes, fish are, just like animals survive on other animals in the natural world. We could drag the plants into this too, do they feel pain? Prince Charles may think so, i am not sure. Nature can seem very cruel sometimes when it comes to a matter of survival.....but this is a whole different ball game to those who kill for pleasure.

[OverSword]

I don't buy this for one second.  The only reason to fear for such a dumb animal is because something hurts since they can't really comprehend death.

[Mac E]

My take on pain is that it's there as an indicator of stress on the individuals evironment and can lead to evolution.  So does a fish feel pain, I don't know, but there has to be some percursor to evolution unless they have evolved to have pain removed, which would be rather ironic.

[Simbi Laveau]

There are documented instances of fish committing suicide . They recognise people ,they demonstrate fear .
Anyone who's kept fish ,or bred fish ,can tell you ,they experience pain ,fear ,and even emotions .
I've kept both fresh and salt tanks . I've bred Molly's ,guppies ,and bettas . Fishies feel .

Funny how this study came out just after this one
http://www.unexplain...opic=240448&hl=