What rights do goldfish have?

1978: The final act of a British play titled The Last Temptation involved a goldfish bowl, with a live goldfish inside, being thrown across the stage, causing the fish to tumble onto the ground, where it died. Outraged animal lovers sued, prompting a two-year legal battle in which the courts deliberated on whether it was possible to be cruel to goldfish. Or rather, should goldfish enjoy the protections given to other animals such as cats and dogs?

The first court ruled that goldfish enjoyed no such protections, but in 1980 the High Court overturned this decision, ruling that it is, indeed, possible to be cruel to goldfish, and that the law should not allow such behavior.

I'm not sure if there's any equivalent American law pertaining to goldfish. But I imagine that if there was then surely boiling lobsters alive would also be illegal.

The Guardian - Nov 3, 1978

Victoria Times Colonist - July 30, 1980

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 20, 2020 - Comments (3)
Category: Law, Fish, 1970s

Porpoise in toilet

I've heard of alligators in the sewer, but not porpoises in toilets.

I haven't been able to find out if there was ever a solution to the mystery of how a porpoise came to be in the toilet of the Glasgow train station. I'm assuming student pranksters were probably involved.

Ottawa Journal - Dec 7, 1965

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 27, 2020 - Comments (3)
Category: Animals, Fish, Bathrooms, 1960s

World Championship Sardine Packing Contest

The World Championship Sardine Packing Contest was launched in 1970 in Rockland, Maine. But by 1990 the contest had fizzled out, due largely to an inability to find anyone willing to compete in it. This reflected the decline of the sardine packing industry in the region, as well a shift to mechanization.

The contest in 1972. Source: facebook

Circa 1971. Source: Digital Maine

Five-time champion Rita Willey became known as "the Mahammad Ali of all sardine packers." There's an exhibit honoring her in the Maine Coast Sardine History Museum. According to the museum:

image source: Maine Travel Maven

Evidently there must still be sardine packing contests held on occasion, though no longer in Rockland. The video below shows a 2005 contest sponsored by the Canadian firm Connors.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jun 29, 2020 - Comments (3)
Category: Sports, World Records, Fish

Clairvoyant Fishing (1956)

Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 03, 2019 - Comments ()
Category: Superstition, Fish, 1950s

The War Between the Snipe and the Clam

The rare technique of cut-paper animation, by Hu Jinqing, who just recently died.

The creator's Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Wed May 15, 2019 - Comments ()
Category: Animals, Fish, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Stop-motion Animation, 1960s

Saved goldfish from drowning

Well, I certainly didn’t know that.

Waukesha Daily Freeman - Aug 13, 1968

Posted By: Alex - Mon May 13, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Fish, 1960s

Skydiving fish

I never realized that wildlife managers stock lakes by dropping fish out of planes, but apparently they do, as shown by a short video recently posted online by Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources.



And here's a piece about skydiving fish from CNN:

Posted By: Alex - Wed Sep 26, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Fish

Whale Choir

British senior citizens singing like whales. More info: BBC News

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jul 03, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Music, Fish

Indoor Fishing

Not a new idea.

Source of 1931 article.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 01, 2018 - Comments (4)
Category: Sports, Fish

Old Cawlija

Info at source: "Old Cawlija, a five pound black bass, eats from hand and drinks Falstaff Beer from the can. The tank is placed in front of the Didda-Wa Restaurant."

Posted By: Paul - Sun Apr 08, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Regionalism, Restaurants, Fish, 1950s, Alcohol