To the Editor:
I’m writing about the Oct. 5 Capital angler column, “Step outside: Wonders await even if you don’t catch fish.”

Writer John Rowen so poetically described the magical weekend he shared with his wife, Dorothy. And the best part? No fish were harmed.

Many people don’t spare a thought for the pain fish endure when they are hooked and suffocated. According to a 2019 University of Liverpool study, fish feel physical pain in a way similar to humans.

Fish might not look like human beings, but they are sensitive, complex beings. They form emotional attachments and become depressed when they lose their mates. They can count and tell time, think ahead, and “talk” to one another underwater.

And now we are discovering the health risks. Eating just a single fish pulled from United States lakes or rivers could be equal to drinking water tainted with “forever chemicals” for a month.

There are so many ways to enjoy this beautiful autumn season: pumpkin farms, apple orchards, gorgeous hikes, and day trips, to name just a few. Choose your own adventure. But leave animals alone. Wonders await when you don’t go fishing.  

Scott Miller

The PETA Foundation

Norfolk, Virginia

Editor’s note: Scott Miller is a staff writer for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1980.