Adam PETA wrote:
fish area living thing like you and me, they feel pain, and it has been proven,
Adam,
Mmmm.....not quite Adam. Stop attaching human emotion to those of animals. As you are aware Fish lack the neocortex portion of the brain to feel pain in the way you or I do. Although fish's brains are certainly less complex than ours, they aren't
mindlessly floating around in the water. Akin to the fight-or-flight
response, fish have chemicals in their bodies that are released when
they're in danger [source:
Chandroo, Duncan and Moccia].
Fish also possess pain nerve fiber tracts in their bodies that are
similar to those that tetrapods (vertebrates with four limbs) have
[source:
Chandroo, Duncan and Moccia].
Overall, the scientific consensus is that fish have the anatomical
requirements to demonstrate neurophysiologic and behavioral reactions to
pain as a means of survival [source:
Braithwaite and Huntingford].
However, little evidence exists to suggest that the fish also react
emotionally to pain like humans. As another way of safeguarding our
bodies, our pain response comes with a negative emotional reaction that
excites the
amygdala in our brains and forms a memory
of the unpleasant effect of a particular stimulus. For that reason, most
children will touch a hot stove only once. Fish brains do contain an
amygdaloid complex, but it produces aggression rather than fear [source:
Chandroo, Duncan and Moccia].
Nevertheless, fish are able to form sensory memories. For instance,
trout can remember how to avoid getting caught in fishing nets months
after the initial experience [source:
Donkin]. So while it remains unclear whether fish genuinely suffer from pain, memories of it stick in their brains but not in the way that you would have us believe with one sized half arsed paraphrasing above.
Something else for you to think on about. Fishing was banned on the Mere thanks to you and people like you. No anglers in any significant numbers meant that when the bloom caused an oxygen crash no one was around for any immediate action to be taken to save the fish. EVERYTHING died in the lake. It will never recover. Angling and by that I mean proper angling has its place if you wish to continue to see well managed healthy waters. If you think for one minite that a left alone previously managed water would survive all that our changing climate can throw at it without intervention you are sadly mistaken. Our waterways need angling from a monetary and conservation point of view.
Oh and I fail to see what or where you got your info from on the link you supplied. In our world fish are not yanked from the water. Swim bladders will only rupture rarely if pulled from great depths and then only if pulled in incorrectly. The majority of anglers do not fish in water deeper than 10mtrs (where barotrauma starts to occur) and those that do know about it and give the fish time to alter its bladder gasses to suit.
The Edinburgh researchers wrote a hell of a lot more than the single line you quoted in your piece, it would probably be in your interest to read the reports and conclusions thoroughly.......until then do one. I got no time for 6th form politics and ill thought out arguments and half truths from tree hugging, otter stroking dickwads whose ultimate aim is to stop my sport because some beardy yoghurt knitter thought it was a good idea after watching numerous nature programs and a walt disney film or two.
Ps We all hate litter as well but they are not anglers leaving it behind in any way shape or form. They are vermin who we would wish to dis-associate ourselves from. Bit like saying someone threw a coin at the footy so all supporters are thugs.....Now wheres me rabbit skin coat and crocodile shoes I'm going out for a pint
Official Media Whore
The reasearchers are just that 'researchers' not experts and is being spouted from the states not here, go and try and drum yourself some support over there but maybe you have and have failed, you will definately here 
