The city of Prague is raising awareness this year, too, about the responsible handling of Christmas carp. An information campaign highlights which traditional practices cause the animals unnecessary suffering – and how this can be avoided.
The city of Prague continues its information campaign this year, drawing attention to ethical and careful treatment of carp during the Advent season. The aim is not to prohibit the traditional purchase of carp, but to inform about unnecessary suffering to which the animals are often exposed, particularly in the days leading up to Christmas.
With the start of the Christmas season, a practice develops each year that causes many carp avoidable suffering. The capital city therefore wishes to highlight situations that particularly distress the animals. Many people try to treat animals with respect, but often lack knowledge of the specific risks for carp – this is precisely where the campaign comes in.
The campaign makes clear that some widespread practices cause the animals considerable stress:
- Transport in plastic bags: Carp suffer from lack of oxygen, clamped gills, and risk of injury.
- Storage in the bathtub: Chlorinated tap water, incorrect temperatures, and poor water quality lead to stress, pain, and sometimes death.
- Killing at home: Without experience and proper equipment, the process is often prolonged and painful for the animal.
- Releasing into rivers or ponds: Weakened fish almost never survive the sudden change. After weeks in holding tanks, their immune system and protective layer are weakened; the temperature change in natural waters often leads to rapid death.
Experts therefore recommend having the fish killed, gutted and portioned directly at the sales stand. This is the most humane option for the animal and also ensures proper handling of the meat.
The State Veterinary Administration has so far reported around 1,500 sales points for live Christmas carp this year – with numbers rising. According to a recent survey, 27 percent of buyers have their fish killed on site, an increase of four percentage points compared with the previous year.
Carp remain the most frequently consumed type of fish in the Czech Republic: of the total 18,685 tonnes of fish caught in 2024, 16,046 tonnes were carp. The majority is traditionally sold during the Advent season.
Further information on the campaign “Vaše tradice, moje trápení” (Your Tradition – My Distress) can be found at Vánoce pro kapry (CZ).
