WATCH: Netizens react on video of squid killed through ‘ikejime’
イカを締める時の動画です！
ご参考までに笑笑 pic.twitter.com/mRL3nsSfFa— Hiroto/ショアジギ&パズデザイン (@FishHiroto) May 19, 2017
The video posted by Twitter user @FishHiroto has garnered some negative reactions from netizens due to the apparent cruelty he was inflicting on a squid he caught.
On the contrary, @FishHiroto was actually being merciful to the animal. His video was meant to show how to perform ikejime, roughly translated as “activity clamping.” It is a fishing technique in which a spike is driven into a fish’s brain to give it a quick death, reports J-Cast News via RocketNews24.
While most fish require only a single stab, a squid can be a little more troublesome and may require more to completely disable all motor functions. This is shown on the video, with the first stab only affecting the red pigmentation on half of the squid’s body.
Considered by experienced anglers and fishermen to be a humane way of killing fish, it also serves the purpose of preserving meat quality. Stress and suffering experienced by fish before dying affects the taste and the texture of the meat.
Those who are more aware of this process quickly came to @FishHiroto’s defense.
“This isn’t abuse at all. It’s more humane and even makes the meat better tasting,” said one Twitter user.
J-Cast News asked @FishHiroto for a comment and here is what he has to say to the negative commenters: “This is an ordinary thing among anglers, fishermen, and other experts of the sea. It’s sad that some people see this and think it’s ‘strange’ or ‘pitiful.’”
“I don’t like people acting like their food comes out of thin air. I want everyone to know what kinds of things people are doing before it reaches their dinner table,” he added. Alfred Bayle/JB
