Animal Welfare Ethics in Fisheries Enhancement, Aquaculture and Recreational Fishing

Fish culture, resource enhancement, and recreational fishing are all part of North American culture; and contribute billions to the U.S. economy. There are national and international challenges for all three areas related to the public’s ethical standards and their perception of animal welfare. These challenges are being examined by resource agency administrators, aquaculturists, and the recreational fishing industry. Most people are not knowledgeable regarding the distinction between the different animal care philosophies of Animal Welfare vs. Animal Liberation vs. Animal Rights, or that Animal Welfare is the key philosophy that should be understood and adopted by all resource agencies, aquaculturists and recreational fishers.  Understanding Animal Welfare equips animal use practitioners for influencing public policy and potential welfare legislation. It can lead to greater public confidence in supporting our interest. Although we may still debate aspects of animal welfare for fish, the reality is that future support our interest will be determined by ethical positions held by the general public. That public support will be based on the response to these ethical challenges by resource agencies, fish culturists and recreational fishers. A working knowledge of aquatic animal welfare will serves to protect and sustain public support for animal use practitioners.