[Fish and natural protection]

Fish represent more than half of all vertebrates. They are the most important and most conspicuous creatures in the water. Their protection in the sense of the new animal protection law is therefore of course extremely difficult. Fish need protection just as much as other vertebrates. Fish suffer from harmful influences which should be eased or eliminated. They, like other vertebrates have highly sensitive sensory organs which react to stress through transport, encaging, pollution, and other similar factors. It is therefore an eminent task to protect them from these dangers. Possibilities are demonstrated to intensify the protection by a more thorough knowledge of their anatomy and physiology and their utilizationship with environment; cleaning the water, establishing natural protection areas, and controlling the situation within fish populations.