Invasive crayfish species cause significant ecological damage, leading to management programs that raise welfare questions.
Invasive crayfish management creates a welfare tension: controlling invasives protects native species and ecosystems, but control methods cause harm to the invasive animals themselves. Crayfish welfare is legally unprotected in most jurisdictions. Emerging evidence suggests crustaceans have functional nociceptive systems. Management decisions must balance ecological imperatives against welfare considerations for the controlled animals.