Longline (Graphic: Oscar Bos,  Ecomare / Wikimedia)

Suffering due to fishing methods

Many different fishing methods have been developed over the centuries, and they vary considerably in the duration and severity of the suffering caused in the fish.

As a rule of thumb, using a hand line or a fishing rod is the best way to reduce fish suffering. Depending on the operation, nets that are only set around a shoal for a short time and immediately hauled in (purse seines and similar) are also suitable. In principle, artisanal fisheries would be more capable of ensuring short catch duration and rapid stunning and killing.

Left: Trawl - middle: gillnet towed or anchored - right: trolling (Graphic: FAO)