Which is crueler; sports fishing or fishing for food? (Essay Sample)

Which is crueler Fishing For Food or Sports Fishing? From olden days, fishing has been a critical human engagement not only providing seafood but also numerous employment opportunities in fishing and fish food processing companies. In the modern world, sporting horizons have expanded to incorporate fishing as a recreational activity with many sport fishing companies operating on water bodies. The rising demand for seafood and sports fishing led to malpractices; that cut across fishing for food as well as fishing for fun. Any form of fishing malpractice threatens to deplete fish populations in the world’s water bodies. Fishing for consumption leads to the death of billions of fish annually while as many are tortured and maimed on sporting sprees. Killing fish for food is not cruel compared to sports fishing. Fish provides high-protein and low-fat food, lower in fat than other sources of animal protein. Also, omega three fatty acids; vital for maintaining cardiovascular health, important for prenatal and postnatal neurological development, reducing irregular heartbeat and alleviating tissue inflammation, are gotten from oily fish. Since the human body is unable to make significant amounts of these essential nutrients, it is, therefore, inevitable to catch fish for food, driven by justifiable need which is human survival. The need underlying sports fishing has many alternatives that would not lead to torture and harm to fish, one that is not essential for survival. Sports fishing reduces the lifespan of fish for fun sake. Some marine animals like the lobsters are known to live and die only of old age, except in cases where there is evidence of human interference with all premature deaths resulting from external causes. Catching fish and then tossing it back into the lake or river is far crueler than catching the fish for food. Fishers use tools that harm fish mouth and the gills. The temporary removal from their habitat cause damage to the gills and sometimes result in rupturing of the lungs from intense air pressure out of the water. The injuries inflicted cause slow painful deaths to the creatures. Moreso, because fish have long memories, the trauma of being hooked is far more afflicting to their non-threatening disposition. Various theories and arguments have justified sports fishing. For instance, sports fishing is only fun oriented with no motive to terminate the creatures’ lives while fishing for food is ‘kill’ oriented therefore crueler. Others argue that there exist differences between different animals. For example, it is right to squash or drug a mosquito since we do not relate to it. The same would apply to fish since they are not social animals. However, the end justifies the means in the case of fishing for food; Survival. Also, harsh treatment of some animals and insects is driven by self-defense. Fish are not harmful and live in a separate habita...