In a move that could alter a cherished Polish Christmas tradition, members of the main opposition party, Civic Platform (PO), are reportedly preparing to introduce a bill that would prohibit the sale of live carp in stores starting next year. The initiative, outlined by the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, aims to bring an end to the practice of purchasing live carp for the traditional 12-course Christmas Eve feast.
For generations, Poles have frequented stores to select live carp for the holiday season, opting to keep the fish alive in their bathtubs for a few days before preparing it at home. However, if the proposed legislation is passed, the upcoming festive season could mark the last occasion when live fish can be procured for this purpose.
Katarzyna Piekarska, a PO Member of Parliament and a member of the Friends of Animals Parliamentary Group, revealed that she and her colleagues from PO plan to submit draft legislation to the lower house. This legislation would restrict the sale of live fish to cases involving breeding fish and aquarium specimens, effectively putting an end to the long-standing tradition of purchasing live carp for Christmas celebrations.
“The world is changing, and… if we look at public opinion polls, the time has come to ban the sale of live carp,” Piekarska stated, as reported by Rzeczpospolita.
If the proposed bill becomes law, the average consumer will no longer have the option to buy live carp for the Christmas feast.