Fish used in Aquariums: Nemo’s Plight

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Abstract

Choosing fish as subject matter, this chapter attempts to challenge the ‘thoroughgoing speciesism’ (Beirne 1999) inherent in the mammalian-centric animal abuse literature. To do this, it draws on research in marine biology and animal cognition to philosophically establish that fish are moral agents, and ‘subjects-of-a-life’ (Regan 1983), on par with mammals, and thus, worthy of more in-depth consideration. Then, using the Marine Aquarium Fish Trade as a case study, this chapter proposes an integrated theoretical framework within green criminology that strengthens the political economic ‘treadmill of production’ theory (see Lynch et al. 2013) by incorporating a an analysis of the ‘cultural grease’ that ensures the treadmill’s smooth operation. It outlines the ideological work of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and specifically considers how, through its public aquariums and organizational behavior, the AZA and its member aquariums facilitate cultural narratives and silences conducive to ecologically destructive anthropocentric capitalism and the trade in marine fish. Finally, the chapter outlines the specific instances and macro-patterns of environmental degradation these narratives facilitate through the treadmill of production itself: from the widespread destruction of coral reef habitats in Southeast Asia, to harm induced by transportation, to global warming, resulting, ultimately, in mass marine-theriocide.

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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR)University of KentCanterburyUnited Kingdom
  2. 2.Institute for Criminological Research (IKS)University of HamburgHamburgGermany

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