Aquatic Animal Law

NOTE: This course is available in-person for JD/LLM/MSL students, or as an Online Section designed for LLM and MSL Distance Students only. Each section has its own course description. Check the current catalog or WebAdvisor to see which section is offered in any given year. See the note* below about eligibility for the Online Section for JDs, MSLs, and residential LLMs and MSLs .

Aquatic Animal Law - Professor Hira Jaleel - in-person version

  • Course Number: LAW-927
  • Course Type: Highly Specialized
  • Credits: 2
  • Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
  • Description:  Aquatic animals have historically been given short shrift by the legal system, resulting in limited legal protections for aquatic animals who live in marine and freshwater habitats, who are used for research, companionship and entertainment, or who are consumed as food. This course provides an overview of the ways in which the law addresses (or fails to address) aquatic animals, both within the United States and internationally. Laws discussed during the course include the Animal Welfare Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Lacey Act and various State laws. Additionally, the course briefly touches upon pertinent international instruments as they relate to aquatic animals.

    The course also examines debates around aquatic animal sentience and contemporary issues in aquatic animal law such as octopus farming, genetically engineered fish and shark protection. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to think about how future laws and policies can be shaped to better protect the interests of aquatic animals given the unique challenges these animals face.

  • Prerequisite: None
  • Evaluation Method: Participation, presentation, final paper
  • Capstone: Yes
  • WIE: Yes

Aquatic Animal Law - Professor Hira Jaleel - online version for LLM and MSL Distance Students Only

  • Course Number: LAW-927
  • Course Type: Highly Specialized
  • Credits: 3
  • Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
  • Description: Humans use aquatic animals in a number of ways, often wreaking havoc on aquatic habitats and causing extreme distress and suffering for trillions of individual animals. The impact of human activity on aquatic animals is evident from the fact that fishes consumed for food are measured in metric tonnes, as opposed to the number of individuals caught.

However, aquatic animals are often missing from the mainstream legal conversation. This course will delve into laws affecting the welfare of aquatic animals, whether found in the wild, consumed as food, or used for entertainment or research. The course briefly covers international law instruments and recent international developments geared towards or affecting aquatic animals. It will also examine how various U.S federal and state laws, as well as laws of certain jurisdictions outside the U.S, protect aquatic animals or fail to do so. Additionally, the course will introduce students to case law involving aquatic animals. Finally, students will examine contemporary issues pertaining to aquatic animals, such as debates around octopus farming or the ethics of genetically engineering fish. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to think about how future laws and policies can be shaped to better protect the interests of aquatic animals given the unique challenges these animals face.

  • Prerequisite: None
  • Evaluation Method: Quizzes, participation via discussion posts, and final paper
  • Capstone: Yes
  • WIE: Yes