White-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) are critically endangered in the UK, while signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) are an invasive pest. Both face welfare questions in different contexts.
The welfare of white-clawed crayfish in conservation programs includes handling stress during translocation to refuge sites and disease exposure risk. The welfare of signal crayfish during lethal control (trapping and killing) is a legitimate but often overlooked consideration — rapid chilling before dispatch reduces any potential suffering. The scientific evidence for decapod crustacean sentience, while not conclusive, argues for precautionary humane dispatch methods in both conservation and commercial contexts.