Crayfish farming is expanding as an alternative seafood source. Evidence for crayfish sentience and their farming conditions raises welfare questions that the industry is beginning to address.
Freshwater crayfish farming sits at the frontier of aquaculture welfare science, where evidence for sentience is building but welfare standards are largely absent. Crayfish show behavioral responses consistent with pain avoidance and stress, and their nervous systems are complex enough to support these experiences. High-density farming without adequate shelter leads to cannibalism and injury. Providing hiding structures and reducing density to appropriate levels can substantially improve welfare outcomes. As crayfish farming expands to meet demand for affordable sustainable protein, developing welfare standards before the industry scales is considerably easier than retrofitting after growth has occurred.