Those of you who still need convincing that fish sea kittens are smarter than a 5-year-old should check out today's New York Times. Molecular biologist and geneticist Sean B. Carroll writes about recent studies indicating that fish who inhabit coral reefs can learn to differentiate between targets marked with different designs and colors in order to obtain food. Other studies of coral-reef fish in their natural habitat show that fish are more drawn to "dummies" that closely resemble beneficial "cleaner fish" than to dummies with similar coloring but different markings.

animal-world / CC

If you can stand the cuteness, check out this photo of a teeny-tiny damselfish poking a target marked with an asterisk with his (or her) teeny-tiny nose.

Of course, it comes as no surprise to us here at Sea Kitten Central that fish are smart cookies. Previous studies have shown that fish have long-term memories and can learn to avoid nets by watching what other fish do. "[T]hey are capable of learning quickly," says Dr. Chris Glass, director of marine conservation at the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in Massachusetts. Dr. Phil Gee, a psychologist at the University of Plymouth in the U.K., says that fish can even tell what time of day it is: Dr. Gee trained fish to collect food by pressing a lever at specific times.

Still not convinced? You leave me no choice but to unleash … goldfish soccer.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

When I was in elementary school, I had a friend named Katie. We slept over at each other's houses, hung out during recess, and wore the same clothes, pretending to be twins. I was so ready to give her the other half of my best-friend necklace—but then I heard her talking smack about me in the lunch room. Backstabber.

bestwestern-sunrise / CC

The CEO of Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, is a lot like Katie. While the aquarium's mission is supposedly "to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems," CEO Dr. Jerry Schubel has just launched a new program called "Seafood for the Future"—which encourages people to eat specific kinds of fish in order to qualify for a free ticket to the aquarium.

If Dr. Schubel really knew what was best for fish, he'd know that eating them isn't an option. Fish communicate and develop relationships with one another. They experience fear, show affection by gently rubbing against other fish, and even grieve when their companions die. When they are dragged from the ocean's depths, they undergo excruciating decompression, which often causes their internal organs to rupture.

Encouraging aquarium visitors to eat fish seems a little bit like serving poodle burgers at a dog show. Wouldn't you think the best way for visitors to safeguard and respect the ocean's sea life is to adopt a vegan diet? We've fired off a letter to Dr. Schubel asking him to cancel this program immediately.

Is it obvious yet that aquariums really don't care about the animals they're supposedly protecting?

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Why is it that men get no love? A shirtless man appeared in Lycra "fishtails" and body paint beside a female "fish" sea kitten at a popular fishing spot in Naples for one of our Fish Amnesty Week demos. Cameras flashed and lively debates ensued among a huge crowd of tourists while media swarmed PETA's sea kittens. But guess who got all the media glory? The lady sea kitten.

So we'd like to do something that the media didn't do, and draw your attention to the fantastic fella on the left.

Too bad we didn't have an extra costume handy. The man with the camera looks halfway ready to get in on the action.

During Fish Amnesty Week, we're alerting people to the fact that sea kittens suffer tremendous stress and pain when their sensitive lips are impaled on sharp hooks and the animals are dragged to shore to slowly suffocate or have their heads bashed in. "Catch-and-release" maiming isn't any kinder, as countless victims die from stress and injuries.

We suggest that retirees, fathers hoping to bond with their sons, and others drop their fishing rods and try "shooting" fish—with a camera—instead.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Tourists are flocking to Kiryat Yam, Israel, in hopes of spotting a mermaid who has reportedly been seen frolicking during sunset swims, and the Town Council is offering a $1 million reward for anyone who can provide a photograph that proves Ariel's kin are kicking back on local beaches.

If it's a photo of a mermaid they want, we'd be happy to oblige. We're offering to run our stunning "Make a Splash—Go Vegetarian" ad, which makes the case that, like mermaids, fish sea kittens, lobsters, crabs, and other animals of the sea deserve to be treated with compassion and respect.

If you would shun a plate of poached mermaid, why not let Nemo and his buddies off the hook too?

Posted by Alisa Mullins

guardian.co.uk / CC

It is estimated that during Benson's lifetime, she was painfully hooked and dragged from her aquatic home more than 60 times—that's right, six-zero—so that anglers could pose for a photo and then fling her back into the water.

Isn't it logical to believe that the pain and stress that she suffered over and over …

(and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over)

… again for anglers' so-called "sport" were contributing factors in her death? Why yes, it is.

As our friends over at PETA Europe told BBC News, "If common sense isn't enough, the science is clear: Being repeatedly impaled with a hook and yanked into an environment in which fish cannot breathe, like Benson [was], undeniably causes distress [and] pain and can lead to infections. Even simply handling or netting fish can abrade their protective coating and lead to death."

I'd say that pretty much sums it up, wouldn't you?

Posted by Karin Bennett

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) held its annual convention in Seattle this weekend and—despite public outcry—allowed attendees to participate in a dead-fish toss.

I don't know about y'all, but when I'm looking for an "outrageously fun" time, I go dancing. I don't throw around corpses. So to remind the AVMA that sea kittens feel pain just as dogs and cats do—and to provide a memorable image of the suffering that the AVMA willingly supports—we held a stunning demonstration in front of the conference for all attendees and Seattleites to see:

Our eye-catching display reminded people that the AVMA was responsible for suffocating sea kittens.

Is it just me, or did the guy in the middle kind of luck out with the seating arrangement?

Weekend shoppers and media personnel spent much of their time admiring these "dead fish."

In the words of PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman, "The AVMA is a trade group that often sides with animal abusers, not with animals. People expect more from the very people who are charged with helping and protecting animals."

Hopefully the attention-grabbing demonstration armed people with some future lifesaving knowledge.

Posted by Christine Doré

This Sunday is Father's Day, which means that dads who don't know any better may be taking their kids fishing. Anglers run the risk of eating someone's father (or mother) every time they rip a sea kitten out of the water, and that doesn't sound like a very good way to celebrate fatherhood to me.

To help spread the truth about fishing, we sent a former fisher and his giant finned friend to Fort Myers Beach in Florida. Check out the pics, and don't forget to wish your dad a happy Father's Day!

Repentant former angler Bryan Wilson and Sammy the Sea Kitten hit the pier to let people know that fish feel pain and fear just like dogs and cats do.

Sammy made some new friends …

… and issued a warning to his aquatic brethren.

This little animal lover could never eat a sea kitten!

Posted by Lianne Turner

open.salon / CC

According to recent findings published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, nine-spined sticklebacks are able to hone in on their best dining options simply by watching other fish. One of the authors of the study remarked that this makes the animals "geniuses of the fish world."

Nine-spined sticklebacks have one up on yours truly. When I dine out, I have to visit Menupages.com to figure out where to go.

I do, however, live with a genius. Watch my best buddy, Charlie, pick his squeaky beer can toy, a gift from his Aunt Lisa, out of a lineup of toys.

Think your other-than-human friend can top that? Tell all in the comments section below!

Posted by Karin Bennett

smi.ucr / CC

noun 1 a person who catches fish for a living or for sport.

or

noun 1 a person ignorant of, oblivious to, or indifferent to the fact that he or she is inflicting pain by catching, suffocating, stabbing, and gutting fish; someone who is hooked on cruelty.

In light of a new study revealing that fish feel and remember pain, PETA Europe has sent a letter to the folks at Oxford English Dictionary asking that they change their definition of "fisherman" to the rather more accurate version above (that's the second one, in case you weren't sure).

Because a fish sea kitten has a nervous system just as humans do, struggles against death, and has lips that are sensitive to the tearing of flesh caused by hooks, PETA Europe considers the Oxford English Dictionary's current definition of "fisherman" a little--ahem--insensitive. Don't you agree?

Leave a comment below with your suggestion for a new, more accurate definition of "fisherman."

Posted by Shawna Flavell

When I was 12, I won a fishing contest—something I haven't been proud of for a long time now. Back in the day, I was conditioned to ignore any qualms I might have felt about hooking fish, but I eventually realized how much suffering I was causing and put down my rod and reel for good.

What I've only more recently come to understand is that angling doesn't just hurt fish. Case in point: PETA staffers Hannah and Philip Schein were at Lake Kussharo in Hokkaido, Japan, when they saw a whooper swan who had a multi-pronged fishing lure embedded in her foot. She tried to remove it the only way she could—with her mouth—but the sharp hooks only became embedded in her beak as well. With her face now attached to her foot, the swan struggled in a twisted circular position, panicked and in pain:

Several people helped the Scheins catch the bird. Then Hannah and another person restrained the terrified swan while they carefully removed the hooks:

Freed from the deadly lure, the swan—no doubt relieved, but with good reason to be wary of humans—flew away with a vigorous sweep of her mighty wings:

Tragedy was avoided in this case, but not all victims of fishing tackle are so lucky. Countless water birds and mammals suffer, and many die, from injuries caused by discarded or lost fishing hooks, monofilament line, lead weights, and floats. Animals who become entangled in fishing line can be trapped underwater and drown or die slowly of starvation. The UK has banned certain types of tackle because of this problem, and other countries need to follow its lead.

Even non-anglers can help by skipping seafood. Commercial fishing boats haul in sharks, sea turtles, birds, seals, and dolphins who get tangled in nets and hooked by long-lines only to be thrown overboard to die of shock, blood loss, or predation.

If you find yourself craving cod or salivating over salmon, just picture a plate full of snared, scared swans. Then enjoy these cruelty-free recipes instead.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

You may have noticed that PETA has been working hard to give our finned friends a PR boost. Well, it seems that some sea kittens in South Korea may have heard about our campaign and decided to do their own makeover. According to an article in the U.K.'s Telegraph, two female carp in a small pond in Chongju have adapted to look like humans! Check out their distinctive noses, eyes, and lips:

thegreenhead / CC

We already knew that sea kittens have complex social systems, communicate with each other using low-frequency sounds, and use tools just like humans do, but now they even look like us! Cannibalism is generally frowned upon, so do you think this might persuade people to finally stop eating sea kittens, once and for all?

P.S. If this story has inspired you to give up fish for good, try out this recipe for grilled tofu with blackened seasoning. Looks just like grilled fish, tastes a million times better, and I promise it never resembled Mr. Limpet.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

When I was a kid and was really, really bored, I amused myself by holding a thermometer up to the heater in the bathroom (before you judge me, understand that I was living in a tiny town in Oklahoma with very few entertainment options).

After watching the temperature go up and down several times, I decided to see what would happen if I just held it there until it went all the way up. The result was that the end of the thermometer broke and the mercury spilled onto the floor. While it might sound like I wasn't very bright, I at least had enough sense not to touch the mercury when cleaning it up. And a good thing, too, since mercury exposure is bad news, as it leads to an increased risk of severe health problems and neurological symptoms, including memory loss, personality change, tremors, spontaneous abortion, and damage to a developing fetus. Fun stuff, huh?

Of course, broken thermometers aren't the main cause of mercury poisoning. Any guesses? That's right: Eating fish is. A writer for Salon.com memorably called fish "the pathway of mercury to our bloodstreams." Long story short: Burning coal releases mercury into the air. The mercury then cools and falls into the water, where it is transformed by bacteria into even-more-toxic methylmercury, which works its way up the aquatic food chain to the "Captain's Platter" at your local seafood restaurant.

The good news? The Obama administration has announced its intention to take action to cut mercury pollution. The not-so-good news? That's only half the battle.

That's why we're letting people know that they can block mercury poisoning right now by cutting out fish. Our new "Got Drain Bamage?" billboard, shown here, has just gone up in Madison, Wisconsin, because of concerns about mercury in fish from local waters. But even if you don't live in Wisconsin, don't think you're off the hook: The fish you buy in the supermarket can come from anywhere, including waters teeming with mercury, DDT, PCBs, and other toxins.

I'm just glad I learned to stay away from fish—and thermometers—so Mensa won't come and take away my membership card.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Yippee—it's the Aquaculture America Convention: a bunch of aquaculturists (fiendish fish farmers) trawling around a trade show that feeds off "aquacruelty" (my made-up term for fish abuse). Not my idea of a fun time. But wait, what's going on outside Seattle's convention center? It's a pile of PETA members playing dead on the sidewalk:

Why is this flashy foursome dressed like Poseidon's peeps? To definned our fish friends against aquacruelty, of course. Fish, who are just as smart, interesting, and capable of feeling pain as any other animal, are raised on "farms" where they are crammed by the thousands into ponds, tanks, or mesh cages so small and filthy that they're forced to swim in their own muck. Seriously, how gross are fish sticks? No fish or faux fish is where it's at!

Here's a parting pic of this splashy protest:

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

realitytvmagazine / CC

People.com reports that a faulty light in the 30 Rock star's fish tank sparked a fire, putting the actor's companions and his home in serious danger. Fortunately, firefighters were able to quickly put out the fire before it spread, and Tracy's beloved shark and piranha, who are housed in the tank, survived the scary ordeal unscathed.

At the risk of being a wet blanket, I'd like to take a moment to reiterate why we think it's best for Nemo and his buddies to stay in their native habitat. Not only are glass tanks confining, they also leave fish vulnerable to dangers that they have no way of escaping. And the methods used to catch exotic fish poison coral reefs and contribute to the decimation of wild populations. So, in addition to refusing to eat or hook sea kittens, let's stop locking them up in little watery jails, shall we?

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

evilbeetgossip / CC

Yes, we know that "bass" can also refer to a long-necked guitar or a really big violin-like instrument, and it can also refer to a certain shoe company, but when most people hear the word "bass," they might think "large mouth." And while that’s nice on fish … we love you, Lance, and we have your back!

Lance, if you're reading this, please know that it was your friends at PETA who got most upset when judge Len Goodman called you "pigeon-toed." Don't even get us started on the disrespect that pigeons are forced to endure.

And bear in mind that prepubescent girls just love kittens. Can you say, "'N Sync reunion"?

Posted by Alisa Mullins

The design used on the T-shirts that we sent to Principal Morford

The school's sourpuss attitude went to a whole new level when Spearfish students created T-shirts that poke fun at our request for the name change. Pshaw.

Not ones to back down, we got our creative juices flowing and pumped out some very fine "Save the Sea Kittens" shirts, which we shipped off yesterday to Spearfish Principal Steve Morford, along with a letter urging him to provide them as an alternative to students who are sympathetic to the plight of sea kittens. You can read our full letter here.

While the whole name-change request may be a bit tongue-in-cheek (Did you like the line about how it's better to be tongue-in-cheek than have a hook in the mouth? Someone deserves a raise!), our message that our finned friends deserve compassion is certainly serious.

Haters, if you're reading this, just note that all the proud "carnivores" who poked fun at my vegetarian ways when I was in high school are still living in their parents' basement and have gained about 50 pounds each. Best of luck to you.

Posted by Christine Doré

House suggested that instead of "Sea Kitten," it might be more appropriate to call the city "White Kitten," given Montana's lack of proximity to the ocean. "White Kitten High School, the White Kitten City Council, the White Kitten Fire Department—it has a certain ring to it, don't you think?" We really do think so, Superintendent House, and we love that you can see our point so clearly.

And if you break the law, House warns, "[Y]ou'll be arrested by the White Kitten Police Department, and taken to the White Kitten Jail, where you'll be treated with soft, furry paws and a purr of compassion." Aww … I'm totally moving to Montana.

He even suggested that the new name would bring new business to the town—perhaps the National Federation of Sea Kittens, instead of the outdated National Federation of Fly-Fishers that they're used to? House looks forward to it: "The fur will be flying, and they'll have scratching post exhibits." They'd better get started on that name change, because it looks like they've got some prep work ahead of them. As our new favorite superintendent said, "[W]e're going to have to bring in lots and lots of litter boxes."

Posted by Lianne Turner

In his letter, our Dan Shannon included lots of reasons why sea kitten hunting hurts. "We're hoping that this name change will encourage people young and old to start treating these gentle 'kittens of the sea' with respect—and show them the kindness that they deserve."

Because we know that sea kittens are smart, we thought of a few courses that they might like to take at Sea Kitten High—besides marine biology. For instance, some sea kittens are avid gardeners. They'd love a botany class in which they could learn about cultivating their algae patches! And why not give them a choir class to exercise their vocal talents? Some sea kittens sing to their romantic interests.

Any ideas for a sea kitten curriculum?

Posted by Lianne Turner

First there were sea kittens. Now, I give you sea puppies:

Volkswagen's commercial for the new SpaceFox car shows a half-dog, half-fish animal and his loving guardian. We think it's sweet that this "sea puppy" (as I like to call him) is his human's best friend, and it even reminded us a little of our campaign! The sea puppy reminds viewers that fish have personalities, just like dogs—even if they aren't so great at playing fetch. And that's why we are nominating Volkswagen for a Glitterbox Award! Glitterbox Awards are given to companies that portray animals in a positive manner, and we think VW is quite deserving in this case.

We know that dogs and fish both need love, so it's awesome that Volkswagen can encourage the world to think of them as intelligent creatures who can be part of the family—not part of dinner.

Posted by Lianne Turner

eonline / CC

Piven had to cut his Broadway performance short recently when doctors advised him to stay off the stage because of his body's high level of mercury. Could it be sea kitten–related? Not sure, but whatever it is, sounds to me like Jeremy needs a little advice.

So, we're going to send him a little vegetarian-friendly care package. After all, in Norfolk, we know whereof we speak: We even have a local restaurant that serves faux fish tacos! They have all the taste with none of the fin or heavy metals. Plus, sea kittens feel pain just as much as dogs, cats, and I do, thanks to our similar central nervous systems.

Mercury poisoning, which is linked to the consumption of sea kittens, can cause severe health problems for humans, including brain damage, memory loss, personality change, and tremors. Now, I like Ari just the way he is—so please Jer, ditch the fish!

We've got some fantastic faux-fish recipes so everyone can get in on the act.

So here's hoping Jeremy does what's right … for his health, for the environment, and for all the sea kittens of the world.

Posted by Christine Doré

I am thrilled to announce the launch of the cutest campaign ever to exist: Save the Sea Kittens! In an effort to get people to think about fish in a whole new way, we decided to change their name for a while. If people had to order "sea kitten sticks" at a restaurant, I guarantee that the world would think a bit differently. Imagine that you open your menu and decide on the salmon—and then this image pops into your head:

Yeah, I think you'd go with a different menu item after that little reminder (might I recommend this dish if you're craving that flavor, as it's delicious and causes none of the cruelty).

It's easy to order and purchase meat when it's wrapped in neat, clean little packages, void of all the blood and pain that goes into creating it. Fish get an especially bad deal. People go fishing (a.k.a. sea kitten hunting) all the time without a care in the world—because fish can't scream and force people to think about the cruelty of their actions.

So we're changing things up a bit now and helping to give fish everywhere a voice. When people realize how fascinating (and adorable) fish can be, they might think twice. I took it a step further and dressed up my own sea kitten (which you can do, too, by clicking here). I'm pleased to introduce you to Ruth, my new swimmy lil' pal:

Isn't she grand? Probably the best sea kitten ever created—but you can try to prove me wrong. Dress up your own sea kitten and leave me a comment to tell me his or her name. We'll have ourselves a little sea kitten party up in here! In our new feature, we've pulled out all the stops. You can read sea kitten bedtime stories, grab your own sea kitten computer décor, and even take action to try and stop sea kitten hunting.

Enjoy!

Posted by Christine Doré

novaciencia / CC

A new scientific study has revealed that fish fingers—not the fatty, fried fishy flesh but real fingers and toes—long predate the Gorton's fisherman.

*Warning: Scientific Content Below*

See, scientists have thought for a while that tetrapods, who crawled up out of the ocean about 360 million years ago, were the first creatures to develop fingers. Well, as it turns out, proto-fingers were actually sprouted some 20 million years earlier by a more-fish-than-not transition animal called the Panderichthys.

The Panderichthys had little finger bones, called distal radials, inside their flippers. Interestingly, the same gene that shapes feet in mice is found in the lungfish—a direct cousin of the transitionary tetrapods. So, basically, the Panderichthys started feet, the tetrapods developed feet, and we all have feet today! That's right, you—my faithful reader—have evolved from a fish!

Makes you want to give the Panderichthys a hand, doesn't it? Or at least not eat the fingers that, after all, they've been working on for 380 million years ….

Posted by Amanda Schinke in celebration of Fish Amnesty Week

Tee hee! Folks in Pensacola, Florida, might soon be in for a quirky PETA surprise! Since Florida is listed as the fishing capital of the country, we deemed it appropriate to kick up a little kerfuffle in the Sunshine State to honor Fish Amnesty Week.

This ad is sure to make male fishers everywhere cross their legs in whiny protest.

So, for the sciencey part … we hear that hunting has been directly (and, let's be honest, hilariously) linked to diminutive male genitalia disorder, an affliction among men with small or misshapen genitals in which pleasure is derived by victimizing unprotected creatures who have no real means of defense or escape. So, what then can be assumed about the shortcomings of fishers? Well, the exaggerated importance of the size of the fish is the first clue. And did someone say something about a big rod? Lastly, we have the act of pulling animals out of their homes and causing them to suffocate, and if they're "lucky enough" to be thrown back, fish are often too weakened by trauma to survive a week. This certainly covers the "perverse enjoyment of cruelty" aspect of the disease.

Posted by Missy Lane

askmen / CC

We here at PETA adore Katherine Heigl for her huge heart for animals. When she's not campaigning for spay-and-neuter legislation or sporting our fabulous PETA T-shirts, she's finding other ways to speak up for animals.

Now the National Enquirer is reporting that on a recent trip to Mexico, the Grey's Anatomy star found herself in a fishy situation—a situation involving a fish, that is. Upon spotting a local fisher with a recently caught yellow-finned tuna on his hook, Heigl offered the man $100 to release the fish back into the water. At first, the fisher refused. Not to be messed with, Heigl quickly upped the ante to $200, and the fish was promptly returned to the Mexican waters.

Fish have very few advocates like Katherine, but they suffer just as much as any animal with whom we sympathize—like, say, a furry little dog. Did you know that when fish are hooked through their mouths with sharp metal points, the open wounds are often fatal to the injured fish and also make them vulnerable to other predators?

After the fish was thrown back, the compassionate Heigl said, "Thanks, I hate to see anything die." We certainly hear you on that, Katherine!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

San Diego recently got a special treat—in the form of three fishy PETA activists. The three ladies, wearing silver body-paint and little else, posed under a net just blocks away from the harbor. Their message: "Scale Back Cruelty: Stop Fishing."

Our activists could breathe as they lay under a net in the hot sun, but fish aren't so lucky. Fish caught in commercial gill nets suffocate or slowly freeze to death as they are tossed alive into large freezers. One fact that most people might not know is that fish are equal to dogs, cats, and all other animals in their capacity to feel pain. Plus, there have been more than 500 research papers on fish intelligence, proving that fish are smart, that they can use tools, and that they have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures.

Our fish ladies got a lot of attention in San Diego—and hopefully, a lot of people will think twice before their next fish fry. Check out pics of their great demo:

Posted by Amanda Schinke

dogbreedinfo / CC

In a lawsuit filed on Monday, a man said he ordered salmon salad for lunch from Shaw's Crab House in Chicago in 2006 and fell violently ill. He later passed the giant (three yard sticks long!!!) parasite, which a pathologist determined came from undercooked fish, such as, yes, salmon.

So, which current top reason not to eat salmon does a 9-foot (!!!) tapeworm knock off? The Environmental Working Group estimates that 800,000 people in the U.S. face an excess lifetime cancer risk from eating farmed salmon. Would you rather have cancer or a tapeworm? Studies have also shown that children born to mothers who eat fish are slower to talk, walk, and develop fine motor skills and that they have weaker memories and shorter attention spans (fish collect toxins). Hmm … brain damage or tapeworms? Tough choices ahead!

Oh, wait! Sorry for making a big deal about the fact that the tapeworm was 9 feet long. It turns out that tapeworms can measure up to 50 feet long. So I guess 9 feet is nothing to worry about. No big deal.

Take a look at our original Top 10 Reasons Not to Eat Salmon list here, and let me know what you think about this whole, um, adventure.

Posted by Joel Bartlett

wallpaperbase / CC

According to researchers, this shows that fish are more similar to us than many folks would suspect. "[T]he sophisticated neural circuitry that midshipman [fish] use to vocalize develops in a similar region of the central nervous system as the circuitry that allows a human to laugh or a frog to croak …," according to the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where research was conducted.

One researcher at MBL—named, I promise, Dr. Bass—believes that vocal communication is probably widespread among our finned friends. It may even give insight as to how fish have evolved.

Take note that this isn't an isolated bit of research—a great deal of time has been dedicated to investigating methods of animal communication. Each new study verifies more and more what many of us have suspected for years: Humans and other animals aren't all that different.

Posted by Sean Conner

waterlife / CC

This all came into question when a team of researchers in Japan (where almost everything but drinking water is prepared with fish) found a volatile chemical from perspiration on clothes worn by older participants in a sleep study. When U.S. researchers did a separate exercise study that didn’t use chronic fish-eaters, they did not come across this same compound. Analyzing both sets of data, researchers found that older study participants' sweat had more "stinky smell"—from metabolizing excess unsaturated fatty acids from the fish—than younger participants' sweat did.

To put it succinctly: Please don't eat fish, lest you grow up to be a smelly old person. (And if you do become such a person, please refrain from working out on the elliptical next to mine—you know who you are!)

So if you can't be motivated out of compassion for the sea animals who suffer immensely as they are hauled up from their aquatic homes to decompress or "drown" in the open air, please give up fish for the sake of the assisted living staff who will have to scrub your body some years from now.

Please, the fish—and the sponge-bathers—are counting on you!

Posted by Sean Conner

This story's got it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's just sort of in reverse order. Think: bad beginning but great ending for a few hundred fish and snails!

On an average day, PETA's Cruelty Investigations Department receives dozens of phone calls from caring individuals who have witnessed—and wish to report—cases of animal abuse. One recent tip came from a Wal-Mart customer, who overheard employees say that the store was undergoing renovations and that it would no longer be selling fish. In theory, that's good news. Unsold fish would have been “dry-bagged,” causing them to suffocate to death.

Our Cruelty Investigations Department immediately swam into action. The result: Wal-Mart agreed to give all the fish to PETA, and our staff rushed to pick them up—with no time to spare. Several hundred fish and snails were removed and many are now living in the lap of luxury with PETA staffers.

This is, I'm sure, a welcome change for the fish, who are intelligent little animals (they can even eavesdrop just as we do!).

While we ordinarily would never advocate putting any fish in a tank, these little guys—who would have suffered a prolonged, terrifying death—are now swimming, jumping, and diving their way around their new spacious tanks, which are full of plants, clean water and shipwreck loads of stimulation to keep them happy. Thanks to the PETA staffers who have graciously provided these fish with a great new home!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Another zinger from JC. This one covers those much maligned kittens of the sea, fish.

Click for a larger version

To check out the archives of past strips, click here.

USAToday/Creative Commons

Which, as you might imagine, was all the invitation we needed to pen her another little missive, this time to congratulate her on her (mostly) compassionate diet and to suggest that if she can just bring herself to leave the sea life off her plate, we’d be glad to nominate her for next year’s World’s Sexiest Vegetarian contest (which, incidentally, her cousin Lauren won in 2003). So there you go — with her family’s noted abilities at getting people to vote for them, she’s all but guaranteed the coveted Sexy Veg title in ’08. If she can just swear off the sushi.

You can read Ingrid’s letter to Jenna here.

*Via Washington Whispers.

Oh, and in completely (like, completely) unrelated news, there was a cat vitamin recall this week. If you feed your cats vitamins, you should check this link to see if it affects you.

What’s the best way to draw attention to the suffering that fish are forced to endure when they’re yanked out of their natural environment and impaled on the end of a hook? It’s a very dangerous question to ask at a PETA brainstorming meeting. Because some of us are literalists, here at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

With that having been said, here are some stunning pictures from our latest anti-fishing demonstration in San Diego. There were a lot of media-type folks at the event, and you can read some of the coverage here.

Kidport/Creative Commons

For some reason, fish are often the last animal people cut from their diets when they go vegetarian, so if you're someone who's been thinking about giving up eating fish but never got around to it, this is a great time to take the plunge. PETA has a whole site about the lives of these fascinating animals at FishingHurts.com, and once you've checked that out, if you'd like to celebrate Fish Amnesty Day by giving up fish for good, click here to take PETA's pledge to be veg.

I will be marking this momentous occasion with a meal at my favorite vegetarian sushi restaurant, Kotobuki. Happy Fish Amnesty Day, everyone!

Click here to order a free vegetarian starter kit.

PETA Files reader Nancy Winebarger just sent me her own version of the Mercury Poisoning fish billboard I wrote about last week. Here’s what she said:

"I saw the blog today about the Mercury Poisoning billboard being rejected based on the image used, so I thought I'd pass along an idea for something that might be a bit more palatable to the squeamish."

I think both concepts do a great job of alerting people to the issue in a way that grabs your attention in a different way. I’ve posted both Nancy’s and PETA’s version below—which one do you like better?

Freshpage/Creative Commons

There are a few old lighthouses on the East Coast being offered up free of charge to a nonprofit or other qualified entity under the Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. So—of course—we’re applying for them. What international animal protection organization doesn’t need a lighthouse or two, right?

The first of the lighthouses we applied for is called the Penfield Reef Lighthouse—it's about a mile off the Connecticut coast, near the small town of Farifield. Here’s a story about it.

In all seriousness, we're applying for the lighthouses to serve as the international headquarters of our Fish Empathy Project, where we would install interactive displays promoting the protection of fish. Plus, it would be the perfect place to house the world’s first Fish Empathy Quilt.

After we submitted our application for the Penfield Reef Lighthouse, we found out that an official with the City of Fairfield—backed by the local Historical Society—is trying to obtain the lighthouse. So we wrote to him offering to bow out of the competition (which, incidentally, is just between us and him right now) if he can ensure that no cruelty to fish (such as angling or fish sticks) takes place on lighthouse grounds. Here’s the letter we sent. I’ll be sure to let you know if we get a response, but I wouldn’t start making vacation plans to visit the PETA Lighthouse just yet . . .

I just got word from our media department that PETA's latest billboard, which shows a patient in a Japanese hospital who suffered brain damage from mercury that was traced to contaminated fish, along with the tagline "Extreme Case of Mercury Poisoning: How Much Is in Your Fish?" was banned in Providence by all three of the city's outdoor advertisers. CBS Outdoor Mall sent PETA the following rejection note: "We won't take anything from PETA that depicts cruelty to animals, blood, disabled children, etc." That certainly rules out a few of our billboards. The purpose of this particular ad was to warn consumers about the tragic consequences of mercury poisoning from eating fish and direct readers to a website where they can learn some of the following disturbing information:

• Government studies show that eating just one can of tuna per week can increase a person's mercury level to 30 percent above levels considered safe.
• Mercury is known to cause severe health problems for humans, including brain damage, memory loss, tremors, and damage to a developing fetus.

Feel free to let me know what you think of this one.

Yup, it's about as dumb as it sounds. Apparently the World Wildlife Fund's German affiliate has accepted 225,000 Euros for its fish conservation campaign that was raised by Unilever through the sale of fish sticks. I'll spare you the letter we wrote them, since it feels like I've been putting a lot of letters on the blog lately, but the gist of it is that the WWF needs to send this blood money right back where it came from. As our letter points out,

"Selling fish sticks to raise money for fish conservation is like selling poodle burgers to raise money for a dog shelter."

That pretty much sums it up. Come on now, WWF. I know you guys can do better than that.

OK, I had to admit that I had my doubts when I heard the first rumblings about a giant “fish quilt” we were making to raise awareness about the fact that fish are intelligent, intriguing animals who feel pain just as all other animals do and that they don’t deserve to be violently killed for food, painfully hooked for “sport,” or cruelly confined in aquariums. But now that I see the finished product, I have to admit that it’s pretty cool.

Lucy of Cuba, Missouri’s square.

Each square was handmade for the quilt by PETA members and supporters across the country. Some people also submitted stories about why they no longer support cruelty to fish, including the following:

• A Girl Scout troop from Austin, Texas, submitted several patches. The troop members were inspired by a discussion with a former commercial fisher, who had since gone vegetarian, about the damage that fishing does to animals and the environment.
• A quilter from Winnipeg, Manitoba, shared a story about how she and her grandfather stopped fishing because of the cruelty involved. They found other ways to spend quality time together instead.
• Several quilters made patches that bear the PETA slogan that Finding Nemo made famous: "Fish Are Friends, Not Food!"

From Amanda in St. Catharine’s, Ontario, Canada.

The giant fish quilt is now on a nationwide tour a la the aids quilt, so keep your eye out for it. Click here to see the full quilt. Here’s a shot from its opening display in Manhattan last week.

Yeah, I know, it's kind of a no-brainer. But the relative cuteness of mermaids versus cavepeople was really hit home to me today when I received images from two different protests conducted by PETA UK yesterday. The first, from a demonstration in Edinburgh to encourage people to cut the fish out of their diets, gets 10 points out of 10 for being just as cute as can be. I frickin’ love those mermaid outfits.

But I don't think this next picture from an anti-Burberry protest (designed to make the point that fur is for cavepeople) would make the cut over at Cute Overload. Still, a pretty striking demonstration, in my opinion.

Anyway, the point of all this is please don't eat fish or wear fur. kthx.