What the growing scientific evidence about crab sentience means for how crabs are treated in commercial fishing and food preparation.
The welfare of crabs and other decapod crustaceans has moved from a philosophical footnote to a genuine policy and consumer issue following the landmark 2021 London School of Economics report concluding that these animals are likely sentient. The UK's subsequent inclusion of decapods in animal welfare sentience legislation was an international first. The practical implication is that methods like live boiling, splitting, and other forms of killing and preparation that almost certainly cause pain are now legally and ethically questionable in a way they were not previously. Consumers, restaurants, and the fishing and aquaculture industries all face the challenge of adapting to this new understanding.