Reconsidering the Moral Status Of Fish

Abstract

In the past, ethical theories such as utilitarianism and deontology have not given much consideration to fish, and relegated fish to a low moral status. In recent years, concerns over fish welfare stemming from environmental considerations and the growth of the industry of aquaculture have resulted in a newfound interest in the lives of fish. There is now enough evidence to suggest the presence of morally relevant capacities previously thought to be absent in fish. The discrepancy between past beliefs and current scientific findings may be a result of inappropriate measuring methods during research. Tests aiming to detect or measure certain capacities in mammals are not always adequate for testing and measuring the same capacities in fish. As a result, some capacities remained undetected. Our inability to correctly detect and measure morally relevant capacities in fish resulted in fish suffering from little moral consideration. From a relational perspective, fish are not very successful in evoking empathy and sympathy, and this can be seen as a result of evolutionary differences, as fish evolved to adapt to an environment extremely different from humans. As a result, fish receive a lower moral status than other animals that are in a similar relation to humans. Because in the past fish were granted a lower moral status as a consequence of our lack of appropriate tools to detect their capacities, it can be helpful to assess whether our current tools are the most adequate. The answer to the question of the moral status of fish relies so heavily on the framework we are working with, and we owe fish to find the framework that works to their best advantage.