Lobsters are widely consumed but their capacity to experience pain is increasingly recognized, raising welfare concerns about traditional killing and transport methods.
Live boiling causes prolonged suffering as lobsters thrash in hot water. Transport without water for extended periods causes dehydration and physiological distress. Studies show avoidance learning suggesting pain experience. Crustacean stunning using electric or percussive methods significantly reduces time to loss of sensation. Holding in tanks awaiting sale in inadequate conditions causes chronic stress.