Belgium mulling to ban round fish bowls as Minister claims it causes stress to fish

In a unique development, authorities in Belgium are mulling imposing a ban on traditional goldfish bowls, according to Telegraph. The development comes in the wake of a Belgian Minister's plea seeking the ban because he believed that such bowls cause stress to fish and should be banned on animal welfare grounds and as a part of an overhaul of the animal rights laws. According to the minister, Bernard Clerfayt, round tanks often have a smaller water surface area than square or rectangular ones, therefore, it impacts the amount of oxygen absorbed by fish. Furthermore, he added that a small surface area harms the 'health and well-being of the fish,' reported La Capitale.

Notably, the Minister of Animal Welfare of Belgium, Bernard Clerfayt, emphasized his point while drawing up a list of problematic items, he thought, were damaging the mental well-being of pets. Moreover, the minister will also submit the same to the national parliament in the hope of creating a new “Animal Welfare Code.” Furthermore, Bernard Clerfayt also sought the restriction of the sale of fireworks, electric collars, and glue traps to be restricted, as reported by  La Capitale.

Why Minister of Animal Welfare of Belgium wants to ban round goldfish bowls?

The Belgian minister told La Capitale, “We are examining, as part of the development of the future Animal Welfare Code, a list of objects for which we could make a general request for a ban on marketing. For example, we know that the round jar has an impact on fish stress. Fireworks or certain types of dog collars such as electric collars also raise questions about animal welfare," he further added.

Moreover, the Animal Welfare Minister also sought federal ministers to look into imposing a ban on the sale of round goldfish bowls, as an outright ban on the type of aquarium equipment would require police to inspect peoples’ residences. “We are not going to start controlling the size of the aquarium in each household. Prohibiting the sales of bowls would be much more effective," he stated.

However, the bigger and different shaped tanks are considered to be less stressful for pet fish, Clerfayt told La Capitale. According to the minister, Belgium’s federal government is responsible for regulating the sale of goods and services in the country. Clerfayt further hoped to secure the support of local ministers from the French-speaking Walloon region and the Dutch-speaking Flemish region to ramp up pressure on Brussels to impose a ban over the sale of round fish bowls.