Last year, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) boasted that it would begin documenting hunters with aerial drones, and now it seems that the group has targeted anglers as well. PETA announced in a press release on Thursday that it would be introducing a new line of submersible drones available for purchase from its online store. The organization is hoping to field-test the new drones as early as September 27, coinciding with the National Hunting and Fishing Day.

“We plan to try out our new submersible drones in lakes, rivers, and oceans to ensure that anglers are following all the local laws,” said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “The drones will also help document the cruelty inherent in fishing—showing how fish suffer when they’re hooked and thrown back into the water injured and how other unsuspecting wildlife are ensnared by lines, nets, lures, and other equipment that gets lost or stuck under the water.”

The organization stated that it is currently looking for volunteers to operate the new devices, which PETA says will be used to record anglers who fish in restricted waters, keep protected species, or commit other violations. The program is very similar to the “Air Angel” campaign PETA launched last October, which sold aerial drones to members and volunteers for use during hunting seasons. The organization remarked that the campaign was a success, although at roughly $325 per drone, it is not known how many drones were sold or even used. The campaign did however prompt some states, such as Illinois, to ban the use of drones to interfere with hunters or anglers. Sportsmen and women also widely criticized the program as harassment.

“Imagine drones running over your duck decoys or near your tree stand,” Doug Jeanneret of the US Sportsmen’s Alliance told Breitbart. “It would certainly interfere with your hunt and break the law. They will definitely be using them against all hunters.”

PETA stated that they would not announce where they would be field-testing the new vehicles, and as of this article’s writing no reports of drones following anglers have surfaced.

  • Robrjim

    If thus organization had an ounce of backbone and good sense they’d use their apparent abundant resources to monitor more critical issues such as whale, shark and other environmentally endangered species bring poached and “parted-out”.

  • Tiger

    Good sense has nothing to do with these nut bars.
    If they had their way they would outlaw pet ownership. These folks are draconian fanatics.

  • Harry Saliba

    They are not doing anything illegal , just keeping an eye and with luck catching the people who do ABUSE the system , disciplined people that do obey the laws should have nothing to worry about

    • SamJS

      Excuse me? Since when is Harassment not ILLEGAL?

      According to the Free Dictionary online… Harassment is the act of systematic and/or continued unwanted and annoying actions of one party or group.

      PETA knows you bring in an underwater drone it’s going to scare the fish away, which will effectively deny people who paid good money for a license from catching fish. IF they were allowed to do this, then I think it’s time those on the other side start launching drones of all types to keep their eyes and ears on the activities of PETA Members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

      • Harry Saliba

        in which case if you do not do anything ILLEGAL you’ve nothing to be worried about have you , By the way there is no harassment going on here , PETA or whatever other organization that does this sort of work know the laws and just how far they can go , do you honestly think they would not have consulted their solicitors , please read the article carefully , it clearly states the VIOLATIONS , which means that the are enough of the so called ‘ innocent’ for organizations such as PETA to have grievous concerns ,ie that hunters, fishermen /women are in fact breaking the laws.

      • SamJS

        And you did read that ILLINOIS Banned them and their use against hunters and fisherman, which is the state I live in. And just below that statement it clearly states, Sportsmen and Sportswomen view it as harassment, and I agree with them.

        PETA is NOT a law enforcement agency, they are not a government agency, they are a group of private citizens with no legal authority. They are acting as Vigilantes, which is also illegal in the USA.

        Just for your information this appeared in a CNN Story, June 21, 2014 by author Mike M. Ahlers…


        Drones are also currently banned from ALL National Parks and National Forests. National Parks have fishing areas and National Forests are open to both fishing and hunting. Fines for operating drones in those areas are up to $10,000 for each incident. I really think a lot of the other states, especially those who receive a LOT of income from the sales of hunting and fishing licenses will follow Illinois’ lead on this and ban them in their states as well.

      • Mountie DoGood

        Yes but in certain states it is ILLEGAL to capture pictures or video of someone without consent from the person you are photographing. So unless PETA is going to walk around and ask anglers to sign a form saying “Hey we’re going to video tape you with a drone in the water while you’re fishing”.

      • Harry Saliba

        Notwithstanding , then fines of $10.000 and perhaps much more should be imposed on those who break the laws and lets face it there are plenty who do . which brings us to the following point ,,, who is going to keep an eye and catch the law breakers. there wouldn’t be enough enforcement people to go round so someone must and should help to stop these unlawful acts ,which ever way you cut it if these infringements carry on then we will destroy everything . so instead of complaining about these people who uphold and help the law why don’t you say well at least they are actually helping to keep the rabble away

      • SamJS

        And who will keep their eyes on allegedly those who are suppose to be keeping their eyes on lawbreakers? It’s an ongoing abuse of power by those who have no right to the “Power” in the first place. There are currently more than an adequate number of Game Wardens and Wildlife Officers on the Local, County, State and Federal levels whose job it is to do exactly what PETA is proposing to do, to observe law infractions of hunters and anglers. Those lady and gentlemen do a great job, PLUS they have the legal authority to do something about those they catch. What will PETA Members do? They can’t arrest anyone, so I’m guessing they will most likely use whatever alleged data they collect to promote their own agenda. We can’t even be sure if the data they collect “IS” legitimate or if it was staged for self promotion. Giving PETA the authorization to spy on hunters and anglers is like allowing perverts and pedophiles to place cameras in people’s bathrooms under the guise of watching for drug users.

        The bottom line is if PETA wants to watch, they can do from a safe distance with binoculars, just like they always have. When they get too close where it interferes with law abiding sportsmen and sportswomen involved in a legal activity, THAT IS WHEN IT BECOMES AN ISSUE! If I’m involved in fishing for large mouth bass, I’m fishing along underwater structure where bass are commonly found. If PETA runs one of their submerged drones through the area I’m fishing, those fish will leave and move on to another area for hours, days, or maybe months. If I’m duck hunting and waiting for ducks to land in the pond I’m hunting along, and just as a flock of ducks are approaching and PETA runs a drone by, those ducks will change course and go somewhere else. In the end, PETA gets what they want, to interrupt (Harass) hunters and anglers.

      • Les Patton

        I agree! That is what the Game Commission and Fish Commission (as we call them in PA) are for. We don’t need a non-profit organization coming and interfering with hunters and anglers. PETA is only doing this to harass people plain and simple. These people are radicals who are using the excuse of just looking for law breakers. See the second paragraph in this article where they talk about removing the hooks and how fish suffer. That tells you their real motive. And that is to stop people from hunting, fishing, or eating meat. All they are going to do is pi$$ people off and I’ll bet many of their drones will “accidentally” be destroyed.

    • Bill

      You know nothing about peta do you dumb shit

      • Harry Saliba


  • WG

    I’d like to see one. Hunting drones might be fun!

    • Mountie DoGood

      fun for target practice if they came near me while hunting….

  • ChiefShitACanoe

    I wonder how these things handle a 12ga sabot? If they come on my private property we’ll certainly find out.

  • chumba1

    I tell the minnow YOLO and cast him out.

  • Jake Zhao

    i’d just shoot the drone

  • BigBallin

    It is illegal to harass any hunter or fisherman participating in the sport not to mention dangerous. A band of uneducated nitwits jumping on board with any group that will take them. If they want to help, feed the hungry, work on domestic violence, keep an eye out for terrorism….Don’t worry about Bubba going one over on his bass limit, there’s people out there for that already.

  • art frewin

    you know this organization P.EOPLE E.ATING T.ASTEY A,NIMALS SHOULD LEAVE US OMNIVORES ALONE. now as far as the drones are concerned i believe everyone should bring along a shootgun. it will make good practice. it is an idiotic idea put into effect to make money and get the crazies doing the harassment for them. here is my reply if you eat vegetables you are killing something. if you kill insects, you are killing some thing. exactly where do you draw the line. please, the administration is just trying to pay their high salaries and make idiots with to much time on there hands work for free , no scratch that, pay to work. open season on drones, lets see just how many of the idiots will keep purchasing the drones. it will be fun, make lemons into squashed lemons. put a shootgun in your tackle box also. they are damaging the environment with their actions harming the animals and we need to protect them!!!

    • Bill

      Buddy I couldn’t agree more

  • Thatflyguy

    Many lakes, ponds, streams, and creeks don’t allow motorized devices in the water so they will be greatly limited.

  • art

    it is the hunters and fisherpeople who pay to improve the environment for all the animals with the taxes on equipment and the purchase of licenses. exactly how does pets help? put your money where your mouth is. secondly there is no way with this idiotic scheme they will know who is breaking the law even if they were there in person, they have no right to ask for anything. thirdly there are always some one that will break the laws, but they are an extreme minority, less then 5%. so it is plain harassment. they might think they can fool people into thinking they are doing something noble, but again it will be a same percentage that they can convince with this stupid statements. you can sure tell who the peta members are responding to comments. we are not going to turn into veggie killers for you. we are going to continue to be omnivores as was intended through evolution. you folks are getting into a dangerous situation. it is your business i believe in freedom. you know what that is, the right to choose your own road without having someone tell us what to do. this country has taken to much of our freedoms away already. if i want to shoot heroin be it a bad choice it is my right to choose. if you want to make idiotic statements it is you right and i will fight for it. get a life.