08 November 2009
The Electric New Paper :
Was treatment of captured shark humane?
Fish can feel pain
I REFER to the report 'First, Giant grouper. Now, Giant Shark' (The New Paper, 3 Nov).
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) is deeply concerned about the suffering the fish went through before it was finally slaughtered.
In the article, it was stated that Mr Tan used hooks and ropes to capture the fish and towed it back to shore.
These would undoubtedly inflict considerable pain and discomfort, as would the stressful process of being towed through the sea.
When the fish was eventually taken to Tekong Seafood Restaurant, it was still 'shaking vigorously', indicating it was still very much alive.
Fish cannot breathe out of the water. When the fish was shaking vigorously, it was suffocating.
It is inhumane to allow the fish to suffer in this way, especially for a prolonged period of time.
There have been numerous studies that provide strong evidence that fish do feel pain.
With this in mind, Acres sincerely hopes that at least the fish was no longer alive when the fins were cut from the body.
Such 'live finning' of an animal which feels pain would have been extremely cruel and barbaric.
FROM ANDREA KWAN, CAMPAIGNS OFFICER
ANIMAL CONCERNS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION SOCIETY
