Deep Sea World Urged To Drop Fish From Menu

For Immediate Release:

25 February 2015

Contact:
Hannah Levitt +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 235; [email protected] 

DEEP SEA WORLD URGED TO DROP FISH FROM MENU

Serving Fish at Aquaria Is Like Serving Monkey Nuggets at Zoos, Say PETA

Edinburgh – A hamper, filled with delicious “fishless fingers” and fish-free tuna pâté, is on its way to the manager of Deep Sea World following an appeal from PETA to replace the dead fish served at the Fife attraction’s in-house restaurants – a practice that contradicts the aquarium’s invitation to the public to appreciate the wonder of living fish – with tasty vegan versions.

Deep Sea World claim that the fish killed for visitors to eat are “sustainably sourced”, but PETA Special Projects Manager Dawn Carr points out in her letter that “for the individual animals who are killed and dished up at your café, the ‘sustainable’ label would be of no comfort, and it seems to me that the single worst way to promote the conservation of sea animals is to kill and eat them. … We all know that fish farms and fishing fleets kill animals for their flesh … but people don’t expect aquariums to profit from killing sea animals”.

“Experts agree that fish are sensitive, interesting animals who feel pain and have complex social structures. No one – particularly a facility that is supposed to promote respect for sea life – needs to put them on the menu”, says PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi. “The rise of so many delicious, readily available faux-fish dishes means visitors can enjoy a tasty meal without slaughtering animals.

Biologists have found that fish develop relationships with each other and grieve when their companions die. Some fish are capable of using tools, while others gather information by eavesdropping. These intelligent, sensitive animals are so good-natured that Dr Sylvia Earle, the world’s leading marine biologist, has said, “I wouldn’t deliberately eat a grouper any more than I’d eat a cocker spaniel”. PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”, encourage all caring people to choose tasty vegan options.

PETA’s correspondence with Deep Sea World is available here and here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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