If you eat fish, other animals—including whales and turtles—suffer and die, too. That's the new message from PETA has put on Charleston pedicabs to point out that fish aren't the only victims of the fishing industry. The organization says millions of other animals, known euphemistically as “bycatch,” also die on hooks and in its nets every year.
“Dolphins, sea turtles, birds, sharks, and other animals are all collateral damage to fishers and big trawlers alike,” said PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O'Brien. “PETA reminds everyone that all aquatic animals deserve respect and that going vegan is the only way to eat sustainably.”
PETA says that eating sea animals contributes to the decimation of ocean ecosystems. Worldwide, nearly 10% of marine species are at risk of extinction, and for many of the world's 86 cetacean species, death by fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to survival.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat,” offers a list of vegan fish options, as well as a free vegan starter kit.
The ads will be on Charleston pedicabs through August, so you will likely see them around town.
For more information, visit PETA.org.
