Crabs are increasingly recognised as sentient crustaceans with the capacity for pain — yet their welfare in fisheries and aquaculture remains largely unregulated.
The scientific case for crab sentience is now strong enough to have influenced UK legislation. Crabs show nociceptive responses, learned avoidance behaviour, and physiological stress indicators. Boiling live crabs — whether in fisheries or home cooking — likely causes significant suffering. Electrical stunning followed by immediate killing is a more humane alternative that is commercially viable. The gap between welfare science and industry practice in crab handling is large and represents an urgent area for regulatory and consumer action.