Manila clam cultivation in UK intertidal areas raises welfare questions given growing evidence of bivalve nociception and the importance of precautionary approaches.
As with other bivalves, the welfare status of Manila clams depends on unresolved questions about invertebrate sentience. Available evidence suggests bivalves possess rudimentary nociceptive systems that respond to harmful stimuli. Precautionary welfare approaches apply minimum exposure to mechanical trauma and temperature extremes during harvest and processing. Intertidal culture that maintains animals in their preferred habitat with minimal handling interference represents the lowest-impact production system for potential welfare.