“How Conscious Can A Fish Be?”

Can fish feel pain? Are they intelligent? Are they even conscious? When it comes to how humans treat fish, there is a paradox with devastating consequences. On one hand, fish are the animals that humans kill in the largest number for food, by far. Even a conservative estimate of how many killed yearly is about 2 trillion, which is 17 times the number of humans who have ever lived. On the other hand, fish are the animals humans protect the least from cruelty and suffering, both culturally and legally. Culturally, yanking them out of the water and suffocating them is considered a fun day out, and legally most laws that protect animals exclude them altogether. In practice, this means that out of all the animals used for food, fish are the animals who most likely suffer the most, both in numbers and intensity. And one of the reasons for this is the common outdated and inaccurate perception held by many about fish. Unlike dogs, cats, chickens and pigs who are recognized as individuals that feel, think and suffer, people often think of fish as primitive, stupid animals who can’t feel pain. This film offers evidence suggesting that fish feel, think and suffer, much like dogs, cats and other animals.