Fish Farms
Aquafarms are underwater factory farms for fish. Like terrestrial farms, aquafarms contribute to the suffering of animals and environment degradation.
Life for Fish on an Aquafarm
- Fish in concentrated numbers that become a breeding ground for parasites such as sea lice.
- As they grow they are removed by the stressful process of grading.
- Aquafarmed fish are subjected to an overcrowded environment (the size of a bathtub) that results in scales and fin damage and fighting among other fish.
Types of Fish on Aquafarms
- Salmon
- Trout
- Cod
- Eel
- Halibut
- Carp
- Tilapia
- Catfish
- Sea bass
- Turbot
- Shrimp
Death for Fish on Aquafarms
- Fish may be starved for as many as 10 days before slaughter.
- Large fish are hit on the head with a “priest” then cut open for their organs to be removed.
- Some fish are packed alive and conscious in ice for shipment to market.
- Some fish killed by suffocation.
- Fish in aquafarms may be killed by electrocution.
Effects of Aquafarms on the Environment
- Waste water laden with fish feces and carcasses from fish farms pollute surrounding ocean or river waters. Waste water may also contain drugs, antibiotics, growth enhancers, and other chemicals.
- Waste water contaminants can cause oxygen-depleting algae blooms, pollute the ocean floor, alter fragile ecosystems, and create antibiotic-resistant organisms.
- Ocean aquafarms disrupts the local ecology of the ocean and can harm the sea floor, and marine mammals swimming freely in the ocean can become entangled in the netting used to create the enclosures.
Escapee fish from farms create genetic anomalies when they mate with wild fish.
Take Action to Help End the Suffering on Factory Fish Farms
- Avoid eating seafood and fish oils.
- Substitute plant-based products for fish and fish oils.
- Find a vegetarian group in your area and attend a meeting.
- Learn more about factory fish farming and educate others.
- Support legislation to require stricter regulation and enforcement of fish farming. At present, there are no regulations governing the humane treatment of fish.
