Our second annual Respect for Fish Day is almost here and we need you to help make it a success! On August 1, over 250 organizations and animal advocates from around the world will take part in Respect for Fish Day! Find out more about ways to get involved!

We launched Respect for Fish Day in 2020 to raise awareness for fish, who are among the world’s most abused animals. They are killed by the trillions in the food industry, in the pet trade, for sport, and in laboratories, despite scientific studies indicating that fish are sentient and able to feel pain. 

This year, we are participating in exclusive live events featuring the filmmakers of The Dark Hobby, taking action against SeaQuest interactive zoos and aquariums over its long list of animal welfare violations, and sharing information far and wide about the plight of fish. 

To participate in this year’s Respect for Fish Day, please visit our website to access a Toolkit containing images for social media posts, as well as our suggested copy. You can also distribute our campaign brochure and social media posts containing facts and information about the suffering of fish. 

We’re teaming up with the filmmakers of The Dark Hobby, an adventurous saga that follows a band of Hawaiian elders, conservationists, and scientists who stop at nothing to protect marine wildlife. They file a lawsuit against the state of Hawaii to halt the collection of reef creatures in a fight that goes all the way to the Supreme Court. 

Please tune in for our virtual Films Saving the Ocean: Documentary Advocacy Panel presented by ​​In Defense of Animals and The Dark Hobby! This virtual panel will showcase documentaries that expose the plight of animals who live in the sea. In Defense of Animals Campaigns Director Lisa Levinson will moderate this fascinating discussion with featured speakers including The Dark Hobby Director, Paula Fouce; Narrator of Racing Extinction, Oceanic Preservation Society Documentary Filmmaker, and former racecar driver, Leilani Munter; Nat Geo Explorer, San Francisco Ocean Film Fest, and Shark Stewards Founder, David McGuire; Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and Entangled filmmaker, David Abel; and Sea Change Project/My Octopus Teacher filmmaker, Swati Thiyagarajan.

Register for free to join this Zoom event or receive the replay: https://bit.ly/Films4Fish

Then, attend our virtual Take Action for Fish: Consumer Advocacy Panel to raise awareness about the deadly aquarium trade and provide tools to protect coral reefs. Nat Geo Explorer's David McGuire will moderate this lively discussion with featured speakers including The Dark Hobby Director, Paula Fouce; Mayor of Milolii, Willy Kaupiko; Cultural Practitioner, Kaimi Kaupiko; In Defense of Animals Campaign Director Lisa Levinson, and many more. Register for free to join this Zoom event or receive the replay: https://bit.ly/Action4Fish

Download our factsheets containing information about the exploitation of fish that complement our exclusive live events featuring the filmmakers of The Dark Hobby.

Last but not least, we are holding a demonstration at SeaQuest Woodbridge in New Jersey to speak out against the ongoing welfare violations at SeaQuest interactive zoos and aquariums. Fish and other animals should not be ripped from their homes and exploited for profit. Join us and members of Stop SeaQuest on August 1 and please also sign our alert against SeaQuest today if you have not already done so! 

Thank you so much for participating in Respect for Fish Day to create a more compassionate world for fish! 

Take action for fish at www.idausa.org/savefish