1/14/2004: Crappie New Year
 

http://cellar.org/2004/champagnefish.jpg

Reuters sez that Three Polish divers faced a police investigation Thursday for possible illegal fishing and animal abuse after a news photo showed them plying a freshly caught pike with champagne at an outdoor New Year's party.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...poland_pike_dc

I'm all for environmental and animal protection but this is seriously PETA-esque. Couldn't they just say they were pre-marinating it?

I hope it didn't backwash. Ick.

Wow, who knew getting a fish drunk could be a crime. Maybe the fish attempted to drive its self home.

I'm all in favor of a 12 step program for fish.

how many polocks does it take to get a fish drunk?

Well they have a point. Taking a live fish and forcing it to drink alcohol probably isn't the kindest way to behave.

It is one thing to catch a fish to eat but another to catch it just to torture it.

I don't know that I think it is something that needs to be treated as a criminal offense though.

do you think they took advantage of it after they got it drunk?

That fish looks under-age. I think we are looking a statutory fish rape and intoxication of a minor fish.

In all seriousness the sites says the fish was half dead, which I tend to believe given the fact they were able to catch it with their bare hands. Prob. would have died either way. Maybe the alcohol helped ease its passing. I don't think its worth pressing charges.

Torturing a fish/ a polar bear/ an ant or a human.. its all the same to me.

These wankers should be punished. :angry:

torture?

"it's ok to fish, cuz they don't feel any pain"....kurt cobain

"Its ok to eat fish cuz they dont have any feelings". Kurt Cobain. I wouldnt go taking nirvana lyrics as a guide to life.

why do they struggle when you catch them? why do they hide from their predators in the weed? why do they try to escape their tank?

Just cause they dont talk, doesnt mean they cant feel, think and hurt. same goes for any animal.

There have actually been quite a few interesting findings in the last year or so indicating that fish *do* in fact feel pain..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2983045.stm


Good article, indicating that not only do the fish exhibit physiological effects from pain (modified chemical receptors, etc, similar to humans), but they also will exhibit modified behaviors based on pain stimuli..


I still eat fish though.

hmmm.

It's OK to eat fish 'cause they can't scream.

SEE!!

I still eat fish as well. I eat meat and chicken too. I am not against killing humanely for consumption, but to hurt living things for fun is just demented and sick.

If an animal didn't feel pain, what would be it's motivation to avoid being eaten?

They did a study in 1917 (Blanton, M.G., The Behavior of the human Infant in the First 30 Days of Life, Psychological Review, vol. 24, no. 6(1917): pp.456-483.), subjected infants to pin pricks, lances, blood draws etc., and determined that they do feel pain - contrary to popular belief at the time.

So...anyone know of any really good babyfishing spots?