PETA fails to derail veterinarians' fish toss

SEATTLE — Despite complaints from an animal-rights group, a national veterinary association says Seattle's famed fishmongers will be tossing dead fish at its Seattle convention next month.

American Veterinary Medical Association CEO Ron DeHaven said Friday his organization, based in Schaumburg, Ill., will proceed with a plan to host a team-building program offered by the famous fish-throwers of Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market.

After People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals raised concerns about the ethics of using dead fish as props at a veterinary event, DeHaven said the AVMA would explore other options for its July 11-14 annual convention.

DeHaven said in a telephone interview that his group supports the responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as food — and feels veterinarians are the best advocates for animals.

"We're talking about three fish," he said. "The tossing is simply used to facilitate bigger purposes" such as motivation and team-building, which are valuable for veterinarians.

The fish are dead and are consumed after the program. DeHaven said his organization thinks human consumption is an appropriate use of fish.

PETA spokeswoman Lindsay Rajt responded that fish feel pain and fear when they're caught. She called the "corpse toss" morally no different from tossing dead kittens.

She promised her group would be on hand to protest "this hideous stunt."

"These fish suffer horribly when they're caught and killed for human consumption," Rajt said.

On June 9, PETA sent a letter urging the AVMA to cancel the planned event, and suggesting the substitution of rubber fish, which PETA offered to pay for.

"When the fish used in these 'tosses' are pulled up from the depths of the ocean, they undergo the excruciating pain of decompression," the letter said. "The intense pressure often ruptures their swim bladders and damages other internal organs. Then the fish slowly suffocate or are bludgeoned to death. Others are still alive when they are cut open. The fish toss celebrates cruelty to marine animals."

The sellers at the Pike Place Fish Market draw crowds when they sell a fish — typically a large salmon or steelhead — and heave it across a counter, where a fishwrapper catches and packages it. An assistant manager there, Justin Hall, said workers sometimes give demonstrations to groups to share their enthusiasm for their work.

"We respect fish. We respect seafood. This gives us our livelihood," he said. "We take pride in having the best."