Lobsters are commercially valuable crustaceans whose sentience has been the subject of growing scientific attention. Their welfare deserves consideration in both wild capture and aquaculture contexts.
The science of lobster sentience has advanced significantly. Lobsters show avoidance learning, produce opioid-like compounds in response to injury, and have nociceptors consistent with pain experience. The practice of live boiling — standard in much of the catering and food industry — causes distress that is now difficult to dismiss. Welfare-conscious preparation involves prior stunning (electrical or mechanical) before killing. The UK government's recognition of lobster sentience under the Sentience Act represents a significant regulatory shift. Consumer expectations and catering industry practices need to catch up with the scientific evidence.