The silent suffering of fishes
on European fish farms
The least protected by the law. Help us defend them!
Underwater factory farms are one of the biggest causes of suffering on the planet. Forcing billions of fishes to spend their lives swimming in endless circles in cages before suffering inhumane and painful deaths. We call on the European Commission to include the protection of fish welfare among the priority objectives of the revision of the EU legislation on animal welfare.
A new investigation by Essere Animali reveals the shortcomings of the current European Union legislation on animal welfare, which clearly fails to guarantee the protection of farmed fish. The shocking images filmed during the investigation — which was conducted at several trout farms as well as a few sea bass and sea bream farms — reveal farming, transport and slaughter practices that cause enormous suffering to the animals.
Watch the investigation video
By releasing this investigation, Essere Animali joins and relaunches the Compassion in World Farming campaign, aimed at asking the European Commission to include the protection of fish welfare among the priority objectives of the revision of the EU legislation on animal welfare.
The European Commission is currently revising the EU legislation on animal welfare. Together with Compassion in World Farming, we ask the European Commission, specifically the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), to include the protection of fish welfare among the priority objectives of the revision of the EU legislation on animal welfare.
Without drastic improvements to the legislation, farmed fishes will continue to suffer. And despite the growing amount of evidence to highlight the suffering and injustice which occurs on these farms, few decision makers have taken steps to improve the welfare of farmed fish in the EU.
In Europe, fishes are amongst the animals raised in the greatest number: in 2017 alone, it is estimated that 1.3 billion fishes were killed for human consumption within the EU borders. However, unlike for land animals, the current EU legislation for farmed fish sets only some generic requirements, formulated in such a way as to make the few provisions on animal welfare difficult to apply.
Add your name to the petition: we must urge the EU Commission to take serious steps to improve the legislation of farmed fish across Europe and improve their welfare.
Thanks to our investigative team millions of people find out about abuses and cruelty on factory farms and in slaughterhouses. Our work saves animals’ lives and needs your support.