Will Willie Walleye Park Get New Fish-Friendly Mermaid Statue Proposed by PETA?

For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2025

Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382

In time for Fish Amnesty Day (September 27), PETA today sent a letter to Baudette Mayor Dylan Hancharyk asking him to tip the scales toward compassion by adding a massive mermaid sculpture to Willie Walleye Park with the message, “If Fish Had a Human Face, Would You Think Twice?” The proposed art installation would offer a counter view to the city’s “Willie Walleye” statue—which celebrates cruel and deadly fishing—by recognizing that fish are intelligent, feeling beings who deserve respect.

PETA points out that a recent study found that fish can experience disabling and even excruciating pain for at least 10 minutes—and in some cases, for over an hour—before their brains shut down and they become unconscious. And even when they’re tossed back, they have been mutilated, traumatized, and many die from their injuries.

A mock-up of PETA’s mermaid sculpture

“Just like humans, fish feel pain and fear and value their lives, yet they’re impaled, dragged from the water, and left to slowly suffocate,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is asking Baudette’s mayor to shift the tide toward a kinder future by adding a statue to Willie Walleye Park that encourages everyone to leave fish in peace.”

Fish Amnesty Day was launched in 1997 and is celebrated annually on the fourth Saturday in September to remind everyone that fish should be respected, not killed. Humans kill more fish for food each year than all other animals combined.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat or abuse in any other way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. PETA’s free vegan starter kit is filled with tips to help anyone looking to make the switch. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Hancharyk follows.

September 22, 2025

The Honorable Dylan Hancharyk
Mayor of Baudette

Via e-mail: [email protected]

Dear Mr. Hancharyk:

Good tidings! I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 10.4 million members and supporters globally, including over 75,000 in Minnesota—with a request we think is sure to make waves among locals and tourists alike: Would you please place a mermaid statue next to the iconic Willie Walleye? By pairing the big fish with a graceful mermaid, Baudette would send a clear, positive message that we can celebrate our aquatic neighbors without glorifying their abuse. If you agree, we’d be delighted to help commission a statue similar to the one below:

Currently, the Willie Walleye statue encourages people to see fish as trophies rather than as the intelligent, empathetic beings they truly are. Studies show that fish feel pain, form friendships, use tools, remember human faces, and recognize themselves in the mirror. In other words, they’re not so different from you or me. A mermaid companion would complement Willie Walleye and kelp turn the tide toward kindness, showing visitors that fish deserve our respect—not a hook through the mouth. This addition would be a reelboost for Baudette’s image, giving tourists something to talk about for generations to come.

We hope you’ll help us tip the scale toward a future where every finned friend is seen for who they are: smart, sensitive, and deserving of a life free from harm. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid Newkirk
Founder