Rainbow Trout Shown to Feel Pain
by Amanda Katz and Patricia Collier
A study recently conducted by the Royal Society, a British organization "dedicated to promoting excellence in science," has revealed that rainbow trout are capable of feeling pain.
"Bee venom or acetic acid was injected in the lips of some trout, whilst other fish were injected with saline solution or merely handled to form control groups," said a Royal Society spokesperson.
The fish in which venom or acid had been injected "demonstrated ‘rocking’ motion, strikingly similar to the kind of motion seen in stressed higher vertebrates like mammals." In addition, "the trout injected with acetic acid were also observed to rub their lips onto the gravel in their tank and on the tank walls."
"To demonstrate pain perception it was necessary to prove that the fish?s behavior was adversely affected by a potentially painful experience and that the behavioral change was not a simple reflex response," Dr. Lynn Sneddon, who participated in conducting the study, stated. "Previous research carried out on the stingray classification of fish was unable to prove animal pain and we believe that our study may represent an evolutionary divergence between the different families of fish."
"This new research from the Royal Society proves that fish feel pain and need to be given legal welfare protection beyond today’s industry standards," said Compassion in World Farming Director Joyce D’Silva.
© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.
A study recently conducted by the Royal Society, a British organization "dedicated to promoting excellence in science," has revealed that rainbow trout are capable of feeling pain.
"Bee venom or acetic acid was injected in the lips of some trout, whilst other fish were injected with saline solution or merely handled to form control groups," said a Royal Society spokesperson.
The fish in which venom or acid had been injected "demonstrated ‘rocking’ motion, strikingly similar to the kind of motion seen in stressed higher vertebrates like mammals." In addition, "the trout injected with acetic acid were also observed to rub their lips onto the gravel in their tank and on the tank walls."
"To demonstrate pain perception it was necessary to prove that the fish?s behavior was adversely affected by a potentially painful experience and that the behavioral change was not a simple reflex response," Dr. Lynn Sneddon, who participated in conducting the study, stated. "Previous research carried out on the stingray classification of fish was unable to prove animal pain and we believe that our study may represent an evolutionary divergence between the different families of fish."
"This new research from the Royal Society proves that fish feel pain and need to be given legal welfare protection beyond today’s industry standards," said Compassion in World Farming Director Joyce D’Silva.
© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.
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