Fish are Friends, Not Food

Meaning

What does Fish are Friends, Not Food mean?

Fish are friends, not food refers to a memorable quote from the popular Disney animation Finding Nemo, known as the catchphrase of the sharks.

Online, the catchphrase, as well as its musical interpretation became widely popular among fans of the animation, spawning image macro memes on various sites.

Origin

What's the origin of Fish are Friends, Not Food?

“Fish are friends, not food” originates from Finding Nemo, which premiered in the United States on May 18th, 2003.

In one of the scenes, Marlin and Dory encounter three sharks, Bruce, Anchor and Chum all of whom are attempting to avoid thoughts like Finally, some good food upon seeing maritime creatures, by saying the catchphrase “Fish are friends, not food”.

Spread & Usage

How did Fish are Friends, Not Food spread?

The popularity of the line was boosted online, following the premiere of Finding Nemo: The Musical on January 24th, 2007, which included the song “Fish are friends, not food” in the soundtrack.

A Facebook page titled fish are friends, not food was launched on March 23rd, 2010.

In the following years, image macros attempting to dissuade people from eating fish started appearing online, as well as humorous iterations of the scene from the animation.

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