Scallops are among the most commercially important bivalves globally, and their welfare status in aquaculture raises important questions about invertebrate sentience and humane farming practices.
The welfare of farmed scallops is uncertain but warrants precautionary consideration. Scallops display behavioral complexity beyond most bivalves: their sophisticated escape responses, light-detecting eyes, and relatively large ganglia suggest a more developed sensory system. Aquaculture stressors include overcrowding, handling during grading and sorting, transportation, and temperature fluctuations. Some research suggests scallops mount physiological stress responses. Under a precautionary welfare framework, reducing unnecessary stressors during grading and transport, maintaining appropriate water quality, and minimizing overcrowding represent practical improvements even without certainty about their capacity to suffer.