Every year at the Gulf Coast’s iconic Flora-Bama, residents from around the area, state, and country gather for the iconic Mullet Toss, where people compete over a weekend to see who can throw a dead mullet fish furthest.
The event is one of the staples of the Gulf Coast and has become one of the biggest beach parties of the year in the South.
But the People for the Equal Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA sent a letter to the owner of the FloraBama, offering to replace the real fish with rubber replicas provided by PETA and even cater the event with “vegan fish sandwiches.”
PETA argues that “Every fish whose body is treated like a hacky sack at the mullet toss is an individual who had a life precious to them, swam free, had feelings, and didn’t want to die.”
State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) who represents coastal parts of the state in the Alabama Legislature balked, “They walk amongst us.” Elliott encouraged the owners to not cave to pressure from the activist group with a tendency to make grandiose demands.
PETA went on to list five things that could be tossed at the event rather than dead fish on its website which read as follows:
- Fresh, biodegradable flowers
- Small clumps of seaweed
- Retrievable beach toys
- Oneself (Leaping safely into the water!)
- Reusable, fake fish (our original suggestion)
Despite the grandstanding from PETA, it’s safe to say that the Mullet Toss isn’t going to be changing anytime soon.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
