Idiocracy is a great movie but the sad thing about it, like The Call, is that it's not too far from reality.
Fish cannot feel pain say scientists
- Thread starter TommyR
- Start date
If fish don't feel pain, then neither do those scientists and someone should poke them with a sharp fishbone.
I used to love going fishing when i was younger, but I stopped because one time I tired to take off the hook end up ripping off it's jaw. 
But if they really didn't feel pain, it would be something I like to get back in to.. . too bad there no real proof of it.
But if they really didn't feel pain, it would be something I like to get back in to.. . too bad there no real proof of it.
Fishing to eat is fine by me but for recreational fishing try to find or make some barbless hooks to minimize the pain and damage to the catch
as for feeling pain they have all the equipment to feel it, and it would be a waste if they didnt use it, so yes they can feel physical pain; as for emotional trauma that probably varies species to species
as for feeling pain they have all the equipment to feel it, and it would be a waste if they didnt use it, so yes they can feel physical pain; as for emotional trauma that probably varies species to species
Ripping off its jaw is a pretty brutal injury, even if it's unintentional. That'd be something you should euthanize.
That said, I don't think fishing is *as* bad as some other things, just because the same fish may strike a lure/bait multiple times during the same day. I remember going fishing once when I was a kid, and I caught a bluegill that had some damage to one of its pectoral fins, obvious enough that one of the chaperones (it was a school field trip (at Litchfield Lake, if anyone from AZ is familiar with that tiny body of water) noticed it, and came over and commented on it. That same bluegill was caught 4 more times that I heard, including by a kid next to me. They may just not have a lot of sensitivity in the jaw area. That would make sense for predators, because the prey may fight back, and feeling residual pain, or even too much initial pain may lessen the ability to hunt, causing the fish to go hungry, and possibly starve.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying they don't feel pain, just that they *may* have fewer pain receptors in their jaw area, which may prompt some people to believe they don't feel pain.
That said, I don't think fishing is *as* bad as some other things, just because the same fish may strike a lure/bait multiple times during the same day. I remember going fishing once when I was a kid, and I caught a bluegill that had some damage to one of its pectoral fins, obvious enough that one of the chaperones (it was a school field trip (at Litchfield Lake, if anyone from AZ is familiar with that tiny body of water) noticed it, and came over and commented on it. That same bluegill was caught 4 more times that I heard, including by a kid next to me. They may just not have a lot of sensitivity in the jaw area. That would make sense for predators, because the prey may fight back, and feeling residual pain, or even too much initial pain may lessen the ability to hunt, causing the fish to go hungry, and possibly starve.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying they don't feel pain, just that they *may* have fewer pain receptors in their jaw area, which may prompt some people to believe they don't feel pain.
I was only 13 years old at the time and was traumatized ever since. I was trying to unhook it with plyers (holding on the hook, not it's jaw) but it was trying to escape, flopping around and it just jumped out of my hands, the next thing i know I see half of it's jaw hanging off. Ever since then I never went fishing again.
I always wondered about that.. . catch and release. They must have millions of holes in their jaw.
I always wondered about that.. . catch and release. They must have millions of holes in their jaw.
I have this one i catch everytime i go fishing and i cant find any old holes; they must heal up pretty fast, and if u think about it most fish have spines for self defence so the predatorial fish must have a higher pain tolerance than most people as well as pretty decent regeneration to cope with the more spiny prey
(i go fishing at a very unused local pond at most once a month)
Not to go too far off topic here, but does anyone know or think that fish have emotions such as sad, happy, or stressed? If they do, would that largely vary over species?
My angle fish freaks out every time I clean the tank while the other fish do seem to be upset, they don't behave like he does. My corries just swim to the other side of the tank while I move the decor and then swim back after it is replaced. The long finned zebra danios just swim around like normal. The serpae tetras group together and swim anywhere the gravel vac isn't and just hang out until everything goes back to normal. The angle just freaks out swimming into the glass at every chance he gets, but when I am not cleaning he is by far the most mellow fish in the tank.
I am just using that as an example that they all seem to express different behaviors/emotions.
My angle fish freaks out every time I clean the tank while the other fish do seem to be upset, they don't behave like he does. My corries just swim to the other side of the tank while I move the decor and then swim back after it is replaced. The long finned zebra danios just swim around like normal. The serpae tetras group together and swim anywhere the gravel vac isn't and just hang out until everything goes back to normal. The angle just freaks out swimming into the glass at every chance he gets, but when I am not cleaning he is by far the most mellow fish in the tank.
I am just using that as an example that they all seem to express different behaviors/emotions.
Sounds like fear, running away from something that might eat/injure you is normal. It's got to be a feeling, no? At least a very basic feeling we all have.
For being caught over and over, getting food is also a very basic thing. You have to eat to live, even if it risks getting injured. I have an angelfish that is the 3rd wheel and always chased off. It eventually lurks out, carefully and slowly, watching the other two in case they spot him. But his need to be out and foraging outweighs the risk in the end.
I don't think they can dwell on things, but they can learn what is dangerous and what is just fine. My fish eventually not notice my arm in the tanks moving things, but new fish swim away and take awhile to realize there's nothing to fear.
Then there are dolphins that may be self aware and other animals that use tools. I'd be iffy about things that are really far back to basics, one cell organisms and other very simple critters, those may not have feelings, physical or even fear.
For being caught over and over, getting food is also a very basic thing. You have to eat to live, even if it risks getting injured. I have an angelfish that is the 3rd wheel and always chased off. It eventually lurks out, carefully and slowly, watching the other two in case they spot him. But his need to be out and foraging outweighs the risk in the end.
I don't think they can dwell on things, but they can learn what is dangerous and what is just fine. My fish eventually not notice my arm in the tanks moving things, but new fish swim away and take awhile to realize there's nothing to fear.
Then there are dolphins that may be self aware and other animals that use tools. I'd be iffy about things that are really far back to basics, one cell organisms and other very simple critters, those may not have feelings, physical or even fear.
