PETA calls for veganism for Memmingen's Fisherman's Day - protest against tradition!

PETA calls for veganism for Memmingen's Fisherman's Day - protest against tradition!

On July 14, 2025, two weeks before the popular local festival, Fischertag in Memmingen, the animal rights organization PETA launched a provocative initiative. They are offering an impressive 125,000 euros to convert this traditional festival, which many saw for decades as inseparable from fishing, to a purely vegan orientation. Enough money to keep the festive atmosphere, but with a clear focus on animal-friendly alternatives. Allgäu newspaper reports that PETA wants to create a cruelty-free zone with this campaign, which stands in contrast to the centuries-old tradition in which over 1,000 participants fish in the city stream every year to catch king trout.

“The money could make a decisive contribution,” explains Tanja Breining, consultant for fish and marine animals. “We would like to finance a trout statue that commemorates the countless fish that have fallen victim to Fisherman's Day since the 16th century,” Breining continued. The statue would take the place of the tents where fish are regularly killed, making a strong statement. PETA has already made its offer in an open letter to the Fishermen's Day Association and Mayor Jan Rothenbacher (SPD), but a response is still pending.

A piece of history

Fisherman's Day has its roots in the Middle Ages, when journeymen were given permission to fish the city stream in order to clean it. Over the centuries, this developed into a festive event that acquired its current character at the end of the 19th century. This spectacle is not just about the competition to see who can catch the biggest trout, but also about the community and the cohesion of the citizens like the mirror reported.

But times change and not everyone agrees with the traditions. PETA has already protested against Fisherman's Day in the past and its current campaign makes it clear how much awareness of animal protection and animal rights has grown. These movements, which began in the 19th century, are now indispensable. They demand a fundamentally different perspective on the treatment of animals and try to mobilize public awareness. The Federal Agency for Civic Education illustrates that the animal protection and animal rights movement has changed massively over the decades and has even been able to influence political decisions.

What will become of the tradition?

The question that many people in Memmingen ask themselves is: What will happen to the tradition of Fishermen's Day if views continue to develop towards animal rights? PETA sees Fisherman's Day as outdated and suggests displaying the fishing nets in a museum instead of continuing to use them for traditional catches. A radical, but now often heard demand in the animal rights movement scene.

Throughout history, the movement has worked with both radical and moderate approaches. PETA, which was founded in the 80s, has established itself as a bridge between the different currents and shows how important a discussion about the human-animal relationship has become. The debate about Fishermen's Day is just another expression of this social change and will certainly spark a lot of conversation.