PETA: The Swordfish On The Plate In Front Of You Is Actually A “Sea Kitten.” How Could You!?!
“Today’s commercial fishers use massive ships the size of football fields and advanced electronic equipment and satellite communications to track fish. These enormous vessels can stay out at sea for as long as six months, storing thousands of tons of fish onboard in massive freezer compartments. Commercial fishing has become a big business…commercial fishers kill hundreds of billions of animals every year—far more than any other industry.”
Oh, PETA. Excellent cause. And so well-argued. Fishing is such a “big business” in the United States these days that the average fisherman brings home $28,280 a year and works in the occupation with the highest rate—by far—of fatalities on the job in the entire country. Commercial fishing is so gargantuan, in fact, that in 2007, it contributed just $34.2 billion to the United States GNP, which I think doesn’t even warrant it a single percentage point.
But hey, cute fishie graphic. I myself like my sea kittens grilled and marinated with rosemary and basil-infused olive oil. Preferably fresh out of Nantucket Sound. Oh wait! There’s only one commercial dragger left there. Damn.