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PETA'S Anti-Fishing Campaign
is Dealt a Punishing Blow

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The word is that Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA, is furious.

PETA spent millions on its anti-fishing campaign, which primarily is based on its propaganda that hooked fish feel pain like mammals do, and, therefore fishing is barbaric.

Now comes a report in the academic Reviews of Fisheries Science that states that the brains of fish are not sufficiently developed to allow them to sense pain or fear.

This is the study of James D. Rose, professor of zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming. He has been working on questions concerning neurology for about 30 years.

He states that awareness of pain depends on functions of specific regions of the cerebral cortex that fish do not possess.

"Pain is predicated on awareness," he writes. "The key issue is the distinction between nociception and pain. A person who is anesthetized in an operating [room] will still respond physically to an external stimulus, but he or she will not feel pain. Anyone who has seen a chicken with its head cut off will know that, while its body can respond to stimuli, it cannot be feeling pain."

Rose said that in the wake of his findings, those who are concerned about the welfare of fish should concentrate on ensuring that they are able to enjoy clean and well-managed rivers and seas.

Dr. Rose was kind enough to produce a primer on his report. Interested? Click on "Do Fish Feel Pain?"*

Of course, PETA disputes these findings and continues to claim that fishing is "barbaric." It is particularly interested in brainwashing children by assigning anthropomorphic characteristics to fish. Here's a sample from a PETA press release:

"Imagine you're a small child reaching for a shiny new toy. Suddenly, a big ol' hook digs into your tiny hand and snatches you out of the playground and into an environment where you can't breathe-like New Jersey, for instance. [Editor's note: Huh? So much for getting for getting any contributions from that state.] This is what people do to fish every day.

"Fishing is just as cruel as beating a puppy. When those fish on your hook move their lips, they aren't whistling Dixie, they're trying desperately to keep on breathing. They know they are suffocating to death."

Here's another example. Jay Kelly, PETA's poster boy, said he used to fish but now delights in breaking his tackle and suggests we all do the same.

"Fishing is just as cruel as beating a puppy," says Kelly. "While fish may not be cute and cuddly like puppies, they certainly suffer as much. You like puppies, don't you?"

Kelly's announcement goes on to say, "Be a friend to the fish: Use your rod for kindling and take a croquet mallet to your reel. You'll enjoy the sound and feeling of destruction without hurting any living being, and that's about all that stuff is good for anyway!" Jay, of course, is a paid employee for PETA.

(Aside to Jay: "Use your rod for kindling?" For more than 30 years, nearly all fishing rods are made of graphite or fiberglass, which I don't believe makes good kindling. I also recommend you get help about your delight in hearing "the sound and feeling of destruction" in taking a croquet mallet to a fishing reel.)

Although many of its attempts are awkward if not foolish, PETA is determined to abolish fishing.

The PETA people work on our youth (they wanted the Boy Scouts to abolish fishing in their program); they write letters to close fishing in state parks; they pressure advertisers to discontinue sponsoring any fishing programs; they encourage its 750,000 dues-paying membership to write letters to newspapers, and to demonstrate anywhere where fishing people congregate; and, in general, they are involved in dozens of other, well orchestrated programs.

While Rose's scientific study is a major blow to its anti-fishing campaign, PETA doesn't give up easily. It will continue to push its anti-fishing crusade through dozens of ploys, but its main thrust will undoubtedly center on the "fish-feel-pain, therefore-it's-barbaric" theme, hoping that Rose's study will be forgotten.

The biggest mistake that the angling fraternity could make is to snicker at some of PETA's foolish attempts and not present a strong, unified program to not only defuse PETA's propoganda, but to go on the offensive.

For a good look at PETA's anti-fishing campaign go to:

http://www.peta.org/feat/jay/index.html

Jay Kelly, PETA's poster boy, "…enjoys one of his favorite outdoor pastimes:
Busting up fishing poles!" So reads PETA's caption.

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