I WAS horrified to read the letter from Charles Jardine (Citizen, May 15), claiming fish don't feel pain.

I don't want to go on about it because their are more important issues that should be debated in this paper, but to say a living creature does not feel pain is ridiculous.

Why? Simply because pain is a tool of evolution. If a species is to survive to pass on its genes, then it needs to learn how to survive in its environment. If a fish is going to survive, then it needs to know not to damage itself.

I used to fish when I was a kid and I have no objection to others fishing, but to deny that the fish does not have a nervous system and nerve endings is just playing dumb.

Mr Jardine's argument was to 'base our behaviour on scientific research not sentiment'. I invite him to read any modern biology book, which explains nervous systems.

Stuart Lovatt, Sandylands Promenade, Morecambe.