Halacha Corner – Fishing
Question: Are you allowed to go fishing if you will throw the fish back in the water or not eat it?
Answer: The Torah forbids us from acting cruel to animals, including fish, and/or causing them pain. Fishing causes pain to the fish that are caught, as the hook pierces the mouth of the fish. Sometimes this injury can prevent the fish from being able to eat, causing more pain and death.
While we are permitted to cause (necessary) harm to an animal in the process of preparing them to be eaten, “catch and release” is prohibited for the above reason.
Note, that the above is regarding fishing as a sport. If it is being done for the purpose of eating, or even for therapeutic reasons, a Rav should be consulted as how to do it in the best way.
Rav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, member of the Badatz of Crown Heights, AskTheRav.com #9152, reprinted from chabadinfo.com
