European and American lobsters are transported live in chilled conditions to restaurants and fish markets, with growing evidence of stress and pain capacity in these decapod crustaceans requiring welfare consideration.
Lobster welfare during live transport and holding requires a precautionary approach given growing evidence of sentience in decapods. Claw banding prevents normal behaviour and likely causes chronic pain. Live boiling without prior stunning causes acute suffering. Electrical stunning followed by mechanical or thermal killing is increasingly recommended and adopted.