Mussels are one of the most sustainable farmed shellfish but their welfare status is contested. Understanding current evidence helps guide more considered production and consumption choices.
The welfare status of mussels remains one of the most uncertain areas in animal welfare science. Mussels lack the neural complexity typically associated with pain and conscious experience, but the precautionary principle suggests that where uncertainty exists, practices that might cause unnecessary harm warrant scrutiny. Aerial exposure during harvest, rapid temperature changes during grading and the physical disturbance of cultivation operations are the most likely sources of potential welfare harm. If mussels do not experience suffering, these concerns are moot. If they have any capacity for welfare-relevant experiences, current practices impose unnecessary costs that could be reduced. Supporting research to resolve this uncertainty is perhaps the most valuable action available.