From today, citizens across the EU will be sharing images and a new video across social media depicting some of the awful conditions up to 1.3 billion of fish and other aquatic animals are subjected to when transported.

Transport suffering can last days

During journeys that can last for hours or even days, they endure conditions like overcrowding, dirty water, high temperatures, poor handling, starvation, and even being transported out of water, leaving them to suffocate. Some even die during transit.

Supporters are being urged to tag certain Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), asking them to vote positively for change and to set a precedent for further animal welfare legislation to include aquatic animals.

A resounding nine out of ten people across Europe believe the welfare of fish should be protected to at least to the same extent as other farmed animals, according to a 2024 survey jointly commissioned by Eurogroup for Animals and Compassion in World Farming.

MEPs must protect fish during transport

While the European Commission failed to deliver all the promised proposals to ban caged farming and reform the EU’s outdated animal welfare legislation in 2023, it did adopt a proposal on the protection of animals during transport. This is currently being reviewed by the European Parliament and the Council.

MEPs have the unprecedented opportunity to include specific laws to protect the welfare of farmed fish and other aquatic animals during transport in this piece of legislation. This will also send a strong signal as we are still expecting proposals to protect these species through keeping and slaughter.

Vinciane Patelou, our Head of EU, said: “Fish are sentient beings - capable of feeling pain, joy and sadness - but the EU has neglected them for years and failed to protect them through species-specific laws.

“MEPs now have the unprecedented opportunity to change that by backing the EU Animal Transport Regulation, which finally provides an opportunity to improve the welfare of these animals across the EU.”

EU lawmakers have “unprecedented opportunity” to improve fish welfare