The Growing Field of Aquatic Animal Law

By Kathy Hessler

Aquatic animals are among the most numerous types of animals on the planet and also the most used, but they receive very little legal consideration. Some, such as whales, sea turtles, and dolphins, we know and care about. Yet others, such as corals and sea sponges, are crucially important, heavily exploited, and endangered, but most people aren’t even aware that they are animals. Not knowing about the abuse and suffering of many aquatic species is an impediment to developing empathy for them.

Humans exploit aquatic animals in more ways and in larger numbers than people realize. They are used in many of the same ways terrestrial animals are—as food and companions, and for research and entertainment. They are also used in less common ways, such as in medicine and jewelry. Some are taken from the wild while others are bred in captivity. Increasingly, they are being farmed for food, research, leather, conservation, aquariums, and so on. The numbers are often staggering; one 2017 scientific article published by NC3Rs estimated that more than 5 million zebrafish are used in research annually, and predicted that the number would increase. A 2005 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) census estimated that more than 480 million goldfish are sold each year in the U.S. Recent USDA numbers indicate over a billion animals are sold as bait annually in this country alone.

Frogs are one example of how widely aquatic animals are used. They are taken from the wild, and bred, to be used for food, research, education, pets, and more.

A 2009 article published by the BBC suggested that up to 1 billion frogs globally are taken from the wild each year for food. From 2014 to 2019, the U.S. imported 3.6 million amphibians for the pet trade. Vehicle traffic is estimated to kill billions of frogs annually. Records are not required for frogs used in research, so those exact numbers are unknown.

By far the greatest numbers of aquatic animals used are those who are caught or bred for food (for both human and non-human animals). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations does not count the number of