Fish Cut in Half, Electrocuted, and Suffocated in New Investigation

A recently released Mercy For Animals drone and undercover investigation video narrated by actress and animal rights activist Kristin Bauer reveals fish cut in half, shocked with electricity, and left to suffocate. As wild fish populations collapse from overfishing, the use of unsanitary and inhumane fish farms is rapidly growing. In fact, nearly half of all the fish people eat come from fish farms like the ones recorded in this investigation.

At these operations, fish are raised in ponds or in tanks that hold thousands of fish at a time. These animals suffer extreme stress in overcrowded conditions with poor water quality. And like cow, pig, and chicken factory farms, fish farms have become hot spots for drug-resistant bacteria and the spread of diseases.


On top of miserable living conditions, fish are subjected to extreme cruelty. In the video, a fish is caught for a routine quality test. A worker slices off the fish’s tail and tosses the still-living animal back into the pond. Because the animal’s brain and much of the spinal cord is intact, the fish likely experiences severe pain. The footage shows two fish who have been cut in half this way, both writhing in pain for several minutes.

The fish who survive the farm conditions are pulled from the water in nets to be transported to slaughter. Being hauled out of the water dangerously lowers their available oxygen, and some fish are crushed under the weight of others. They are then dropped into dark tanks inside transport trucks.

At the slaughterhouse, fish are poured from the tanks onto a conveyor, where they are left for some time and begin to suffocate. At one slaughterhouse, the investigator documented fish being shocked with an electrified prod. While this immobilizes the animals to make them easier for workers to handle, there is no evidence that it prevents them from feeling pain. After being shocked, the fish are pushed onto a conveyor that takes them to slaughter.

This investigation exposes how millions of fish are treated each year, despite all the scientific research showing that fish are not merely sentient but intelligent animals with complex thoughts and emotions. They are also capable of learning from one another and even cooperating toward common goals. Fish deserve so much better.

You can help! Learn how you can stand up for fish, promote good health, and safeguard future generations at FishFarmReality.com.