New evidence for pain and sentience in lobsters and other crustaceans is reshaping animal welfare law, with Switzerland already banning the live boiling of lobsters.
The LSE evidence review commissioned by the UK government concluded that there is strong evidence that decapod crustaceans including lobsters, crabs, and crayfish are sentient and can experience pain. Despite this, the live boiling of lobsters remains legal in most jurisdictions. The welfare problem is not just boiling: lobsters in shipping are often transported out of water or packed on ice for extended periods. Commercial storage in tanks with no food, reduced light, and restricted movement for extended periods before sale causes chronic stress. Electrical stunning devices are now available that can render lobsters insensible before killing. The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 in the UK includes decapods as sentient beings.