Goa Animal Liberation Movement Marks World Day for the End of Fishing with Awareness Drive
PANAJI: The Goa Animal Liberation Movement conducted an awareness drive on March 28, 2026, at the Miramar River Promenade to mark the World Day for the End of Fishing and Fish Farming (WoDEF).
The initiative aimed to highlight the need to consider the interests of aquatic animals such as fish, crustaceans and octopuses, emphasizing that they are sentient and intelligent beings. The organisers pointed out that species like salmon have the ability to remember routes spanning thousands of kilometers, while crustaceans actively avoid pain beyond mere reflex actions.
During the drive, the organisation drew attention to the global scale of harm caused to aquatic life, stating that every year, fishing boats and fish farms kill nearly two thousand billion fish and twenty-five thousand billion shrimp. It was highlighted that many of these animals endure prolonged suffering, with some fish experiencing agony for hours on fishing vessels, while aquaculture systems often subject them to poor living conditions including lack of oxygen, overcrowding, parasitic infections and stressful practices.
The campaign stressed that since aquatic animals are capable of experiencing pain and awareness, their interests must be taken into account. It also underlined the scientific position that consuming aquatic animals is not a necessity, and therefore the practices of fishing and fish farming are avoidable.
Speaking on the occasion, Gemini Xettigar said, “This awareness drive was conducted to give a voice to aquatic animals who often go unseen and unheard. The scale of suffering they endure is immense, and it is important for society to recognise that these beings are sentient and deserve consideration and compassion. We hope this initiative encouraged people to rethink their choices and support a more humane and sustainable way of living.”
The Goa Animal Liberation Movement further noted that since 2017, animal rights organisations worldwide have been mobilising to call for an end to fishing and aquaculture. This year, over 190 organisations across the globe marked the occasion through street and online actions to raise awareness about the suffering of aquatic animals.
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