Blue Shark Paraded, Cooked, and Eaten at Plymouth Seafood Festival

This week, an endangered blue shark was paraded and eaten at Plymouth Seafood Festival, sparking outrage across the UK. 

In a video of the event, which has now been removed from Twitter and Instagram, the shark was seen being passed around like a rugby ball by festivalgoers, only to be chopped into pieces, cooked, and eaten by the same crowd later.

The shark is said to have been the accidental “by-catch” of a commercial fishing vessel – a deadly fate many others endure, too, at the hands of the bloodthirsty fishing industry. 

It’s estimated that 300,000 cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are killed every year as “by-catch” after becoming entangled in fishing nets, while turtles, seals, birds, and non-target fish – some of which are protected species – also die of injuries caused by nets and other tackle. 

But these deaths only scrape the surface of the fishing industry’s ruthless destruction.

The World’s Biggest Killer

Every year, humans drag billions of fish out of the ocean in painful, frightening, and gruesome ways.

Even though fish and other sea animals are capable of feeling pain and suffering, they’re usually killed with absolutely no regard for their welfare. When pulled from the ocean’s depths, they undergo excruciating decompression – the internal pressure causes their swim bladders to rupture, pops their eyes out of their heads, and pushes their stomachs out through their mouths. Many slowly suffocate on fishing vessels, while others are still alive and thrashing when their throats and bellies are slit open.

Crustaceans also feel pain and suffer when they’re mutilated and boiled alive after being taken from their ocean homes.

Turn the Tide

An estimated 90% of the world’s oceans are fully exploited, and at this rate, there really won’t always be plenty more fish in the sea. However, our choices could turn the tide. 

By leaving fish off our plates, we can spare the lives of countless sentient beings – both target animals and non-target ones like the endangered blue shark – and take a stand against a vicious global industry that harms millions of them every day.

What You Can Do

To take action to protect our oceans, order our free vegan starter kit, which is packed full of recipes, tips, and advice, including information on plant-based nutrition and ideas for quick and tasty vegan meals. You can also check out our guide to the vegan fish products available in the UK that will give you that “fishy” taste without harming any animals. Win-win!

Order Your Free Vegan Starter Kit

Best Vegan Fish and Seafood Products