Hook, Line, and Sinker: Southern Africa's Ethical Fishing Crisis
Uncovering the ethical dilemmas of recreational, commercial, and subsistence fishing in Southern Africa.
2 min read
Fish, Aquaculture & Ocean Life
Trillions of aquatic animals are killed each year — more than all land animals combined — with almost no welfare law covering them. This hub tracks fish sentience research, farmed fish welfare, bycatch and overfishing.
- Stories
- 28
- Writers
- 23
- Reading time
- 145m
- Desks
- 3
Featured Stories
Farmed Salmon: Cognition, Welfare, and the Nordic Iron Deficiency Anemia Debate, 2024
Farmed salmon, a staple in Nordic diets, presents complex welfare challenges and nutritional considerations, especially concerning iron deficiency anemia on vegan diets.
By Ingrid Bergstrom · 7 min read
Stories in this hub
Aquaculture Crowding vs Local Fish Welfare: A Global Data Comparison 2026
New data reveals how stocking densities in global aquaculture vary by region and why local fish welfare standards often lag behind industrial claims.
6 min read
The Crawl Towards Conscience: We Can No Longer Ignore Invertebrate Pain
New scientific consensus and landmark legislation are forcing a moral reckoning with how we treat crabs, octopuses, and lobsters, challenging our long-held definitions of sentience.
8 min read
Industry vs. Science: A Deep Dive into the Legal Personhood Cases for Cetaceans, 2024
Exploring the battle between industry marketing and independent science in the quest for cetacean legal personhood in India and Chile.
2 min read
Forced Moulting: A $10/DAY Budget Guide to Combat Antibiotic Resistance Risk
Discover how to fight antibiotic resistance on a $10/day budget by replacing forced moulting practices in your backyard flock.
3 min read
Insect Farming Welfare: What 'Species-Specific Standards' Really Mean for Young Families in 2024
Discover the nuances of insect farming welfare standards, and what 'species-specific' actually means for young families considering entomophagy in 2024.
2 min read
Understanding Cull Sows: A Deep Dive into the Southern African Context, 2024
Discover the grim reality of cull sows in Southern Africa, and learn how you can contribute to change.
3 min read
Fact-check: Palm oil in vegan foods is worse for the climate than dairy butter — corporate-accountability scorecard 2025
A rigorous fact-check of the claim that palm oil in vegan foods has a higher climate impact than dairy butter, using a corporate-accountability scorecard to assess brand transparency.
6 min read
Is Greenwashing by Big Meat Companies Ethical? The Hospital and Prison Food Reform Angle in 2024
As hospitals and prisons shift towards plant-based menus, 'sustainable' meat giants cash in on greenwashing. Is this ethical?
2 min read
Tail Docking's Supply Chain: A Campaign Messaging Toolkit — Following the Lobbying Trail to Your Plate, 2024
Dive into the supply chain of tail-docked meat, revealing industry lobbyists, trade groups, and PR firms behind the scenes
2 min read
Wool Mulesing's Zoonotic Threat: A Teen-Focused Movement Profile, 2024
Discovering the hidden dangers of wool production and the youth-led movement pushing for change, 2024
3 min read
Octopus Sentience Recognition Timeline: Small Farmers' Survival Guide
Understand the timeline and implications of octopus sentience recognition, and how small farmers can adapt.
2 min read
Welfarism vs Abolitionism: The Great Divide in Animal Liberation 2024
Dive into the heated debate between welfarists and abolitionists, two major factions driving the animal rights movement today.
2 min read
Greyhound Racing Subsidies Explained: The Nigerian Lobbying Trail in 2025
How taxpayer funds and political lobbying sustain greyhound racing in Nigeria, and what this means for animal welfare advocates
6 min read
Calf Separation Labels Decoded: What 'Certified Humane' Actually Means for Older Consumers 2025
A transparency breakdown of welfare labels for calf separation and veal production, tailored for consumers over 60 seeking supply-chain accountability.
6 min read
The Case Against Electric Water-Bath Stunning: A Five-Year Corporate Pledge Retrospective, 2024
A five-year retrospective reveals how corporate pledges against electric water-bath stunning fall short in mitigating animal suffering in poultry slaughter.
6 min read
The Spent Hens Checklist: Ethical Choices for Climate-Conscious Consumers in 2024
For climate-conscious consumers, understanding the hidden cruelty faced by spent hens is crucial for making ethical and sustainable food choices.
5 min read
ETHICS EXAMINED — Is Dairy's Climate Impact in Southeast Asia Ethical? 2024
Assessing the ethical implications of the burgeoning dairy industry's climate impact across Southeast Asia requires a nuanced understanding of economic development, food security, and environmental stewardship.
6 min read
Beak Trimming Policy Reform in 2024: Essential Strategies for Animal Welfare Advocates
Beak trimming policy reform focuses on phasing out this painful procedure in poultry farming by advocating for improved husbandry, genetic selection, and enriched environments.
7 min read
The Case Against Wildlife 'Petting' Tourism: Sacred Traditions or Exploitation? 2024
Wildlife 'petting' tourism, despite links to cultural or religious traditions, often masks animal exploitation and undermines conservation efforts, demanding ethical scrutiny.
7 min read
Broiler Stocking Density: Corporate Accountability for Drough-Prone Regions in 2024
Our scorecard evaluates major food brands on their broiler stocking density practices, especially in resource-scarce, drought-prone regions, revealing critical gaps in corporate accountability.
6 min read
Community Cats in the Andes: Scaling TNR in Mountainous Terrain, 2024
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs for community cats in the Andean context present unique logistical and cultural challenges, requiring tailored, community-led strategies.
6 min read
Unmasking Bullfighting's Cruelty: Bans and Animal Welfare Across Europe in 2024
Across Europe, bullfighting bans reflect evolving ethical standards concerning animal cruelty, public safety, and cultural heritage debates.
6 min read
Climate Justice vs. Climate Equality: What's the Real Difference?
While both concepts pursue fairness in the climate crisis, understanding what climate justice truly is reveals a deeper focus on addressing historical wrongs and systemic inequities.
7 min read
7 Core Arguments for Animal Rights Grounded in Science and Philosophy
Beyond simple welfare, the compelling arguments for animal rights challenge our deepest assumptions about consciousness, justice, and humanity's relationship with other species on this planet.
8 min read
Feeding the World, Warming the Planet: The Nitrogen Fertiliser Dilemma
Synthetic nitrogen fertiliser underpins the global food supply, but its production and use release a powerful greenhouse gas, forcing an urgent search for less destructive ways to feed humanity.
9 min read
The Ghost in the Water: How Environmental DNA Is Rewriting Conservation
By analyzing genetic traces shed into water, air, and soil, scientists can now detect species without ever seeing them, transforming biodiversity monitoring from a guessing game into a precise science.
10 min read
Related Reading
- farmed salmon welfare1
- vegan diet iron deficiency1
- Nordic iron intake1
- aquaculture ethics1
- salmon cognition1
- plant-based nutrition Scandinavia1
- iron absorption vegan1
- fish farming sustainability1
- Southern African fishing ethics1
- recreational fishing impact1
- commercial fishing sustainability1
- subsistence fishing challenges1
- Southern African marine ecosystems1
- fishing regulations1
- aquaculture crowding1
- fish welfare in aquaculture1
Frequently asked questions
- Do fish feel pain?
- The scientific consensus supports nociception and pain-like states in fish, including behavioural responses to analgesics.
- Is farmed fish better for the ocean?
- Not necessarily — many farmed carnivorous species are fed wild-caught fish, so aquaculture can increase pressure on wild stocks.
Related hubs
Animals in EntertainmentZoos, aquariums, circuses, racing and the shift to sanctuary models.Hunting, Fur & TrappingFur farms, trophy hunting, trapping law and the materials replacing them.Wildlife Trade & TraffickingWet markets, exotic pets, CITES enforcement and the pangolin trade.Animal Sentience & CognitionWhat research shows about pain, emotion and intelligence across species.Animal Rights BasicsThe core arguments, laws and movements behind animal rights — in plain language.Cows & the Dairy IndustryWhat actually happens to dairy cows and their calves, from insemination to cull.
Read across the whole subject
Compare explainers, investigations and practical guidance within this hub. A shared topic does not mean every result is interchangeable: check the species, country, date and methods behind each claim.
Reference sources
