17 May 2021

As the lockdown eases across England, many businesses are opening their doors to the public. From today, aquariums will also be permitted to open again, having been closed since January.

To the mark the occasion, members of Merseyside Animal Rights headed to Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port to protest against the largest aquarium in the North West.

                       'Fish Belong in the Sea!': Merseyside Animal Rights at Blue Planet Aquarium

The fact remains that aquariums are incredibly cruel institutions. Did you know that an estimated 79% of fish species in UK aquariums are taken from the wild? That's right, huge numbers of fish are kidnapped from their wild habits, transported vast distanced across the world only to end up in tiny tanks in aquariums.

It's now well established that fish have the ability to not only to suffer and feel pain but also to recognise human faces! Fish can also be very social animals, however a life of deprivation in a tiny tank often leads to mental health conditions. Pacing, circling, circling, head bobbing and other abnormal behaviours, which are all indicators of stress, have been observed in animals in 90% of UK aquariums.

So, if you're contemplating a trip to the aquarium please spare a moment to consider the suffering that is caused by these centres to the thousands of individuals stolen from their ocean homes.

Stand up for sea animals and take our pledge to boycott aquariums!

Take the Pledge