Abalone are farmed in significant quantities across Asia, South Africa and Australia with growing attention to their welfare needs and sentience.
Abalone occupy an uncertain position in welfare science. They are more neurologically complex than bivalves and show avoidance behaviour and complex ecological roles, but evidence for pain experience in the morally significant sense remains limited. The precautionary principle suggests improving housing conditions, reducing stocking density and developing humane slaughter methods regardless of definitive sentience conclusions. Research into abalone welfare would help resolve key uncertainties and inform better husbandry practices across the growing industry.