Fish cruelty...

[senoritafish]

From a "Fishy Facts" section of the Santa Barbara Sea newsletter:

OH MY - Here is quite a story from a buddy."The (California) scorpionfish's hardiness makes it good for live display in tanks at sushi bars. I occasionally go to a restaurant in West Los Angeles that prepares ikizukui, sashimi prepared from a live animal. A scorpionfish is scooped out of a tank and hit over the head to subdue it. The flesh on each side is carefully filleted, then thinly sliced and spread out on a plate. In the center of this display, the remainder of the fish is placed on its belly on a bed of sea algae. The fish continues to open and close its mouth while the diner consumes the sashimi.

This makes me feel a little ill. I am not a vegetarian by any means, and fish for the table myself on occasion. Scorpionfish are actually quite tasty and I enjoy sashimi. There is also some debate as to whether a fish feels pain, the reason for the same fish being caught catch & release over and over again (although I think it's more likely they don't have the brain power to remember that it hurts and are only aware of another potential meal). But this is taking the excuse of a fresher product into sheer cruelty. Make sure the animal is humanely killed first. I don't have a problem with cultural practices, i.e. the consumption of horsemeat in France or dog in the Phillipines, but I don't condone cruel treatment of animals even if they are destined for food. I don't eat veal or foi gras for that reason (well, also because I can't stand liver). The idea of enjoying an animal's flesh while it is still gasping in front of you seems callous. This kind of stuff is pure ammo for groups like PETA.

Then again, scorpionfish are notoriously hard to kill. It's a good thing a size limit for them was enacted a few years ago and fewer of them are caught now.

That being said, I will now go kill ants in the kitchen. Humanely, of course.

Comments

Ick - with a capital Q

[li-kao.livejournal.com]

What the hell are these people thinking? In what way does a writhing, gasping, moribund fish enhance the flavor or dining experience? Who can say. I'm not a vegetarian and I don't think there is anything untoward about eating animals. But, as you say, there is no reason we can't keep the suffering to an absolute minimum.

I wonder how many dolts have tried to feed the scorpionfish its own flesh?

"Bunch of savages in this town."