Fish welfare: Fish capacity to experience pain

Teleost fish possess similar nociceptive processing systems to those found in terrestrial vertebrates. It means that they react to potential painful stimuli in a similar manner as mammals and birds. However, the welfare of fish has been the focus of less research than that of higher vertebrates. Humans may affect the welfare of fish through fisheries, aquaculture and a number of other activities. There is scientific evidence to support the assumption that fish have the capacity to experience pain because they possess functional nociceptors, endogenous opioids and opioid receptors, brain structures involved in pain processing and pathways leading from nociceptors to higher brain structures. Also, it is well documented that some anaesthetics and analgesics may reduce nociceptive responses in fish. Behavioural indicators in fish such as lip-rubbing and rocking behaviours are the best proof that fish react to potential painful stimuli. This paper is an overview of some scientific evidence on fish capacity to experience pain.
Teleoste ribe poseduju nociceptivni sistem sličan nociceptivnom sistemu kod terestrijalnih kičmenjaka. To znači da na potencijalno bolne stimuluse reaguju slično sisarima i pticama. Međutim, u odnosu na sisare i ptice, dobrobit riba je zanemarena. Čovek može da ugrozi dobrobit riba na više načina, a između ostalog ribarenjem, gajenjem u akvakulturi i brojnim drugim aktivnostima. Danas je sve više naučnih dokaza da ribe poseduju funkcionalne nociceptore, endogene opioide i opioidne receptore, moždane strukture koje učestvuju u procesovanju bolnih nadražaja i nervne puteve koji povezuju nociceptore i ove moždane strukture. Pojedini anestetici i analgetici redukuju aktivnost nociceptora kod riba. Bihejvioralni indikatori bola kod riba su trljanje usana o čvrstu podlogu pri nadražaju nociceptora u okolini usana i pomeranje riba sa jedne na drugu stranu pri čemu su oslonjene na dno grudnim perajima. Ovaj rad predstavlja pregled određenih naučnih dokaza o sposobnosti riba da osete bol.