Regarding this PETA campaign - I can't believe that these people are getting away with this. An ethical approach to dealing with something lower than us on the food chain, but no sort of ethical approach to their dealings with other members of the human race. This is faulty reasoning for the weak-minded at its apex.
Anyhow, I guess y'all will have to take my word for this because unfortunately I can't locate the article online or in any back issues of BASSMASTER magazine, but I know its been out there in the last two years or so. This sort of an issue regarding pain in fish was addressed in an attempt to determine whether or not fishing is actually cruel. Of course the source has to be considered as much as the source has to be considered for anything that PETA says, but the bottom line is that this article in BASSMASTER cited a study from what I recall to have been a legitimate research outfit which states that there is absolutely no evidence that fish feel pain in the way that humans do. The article mentioned that they do feel something, but that the physical response of a fish being hooked in the gills for instance is in no way similar to that of a human having his arms ripped off. Again, I urge you to consider the source, and I'll certainly continue to try and locate this article. If someone else is familiar with it and could cite the magazine or study, that would be great too. I just wanted to bring this up before the topic went cold. I'll get back to the list ASAP with that article. In the meantime, this sure does make for an interesting argument.... John Roth
