A landmark 2021 UK government review concluded that decapod crustaceans including crabs and lobsters are sentient. This finding has significant welfare implications for how billions of these animals are caught, transported, and killed.
The recognition of crustacean sentience represents one of the most significant expansions of the moral circle in recent welfare science. If crabs and lobsters experience pain and suffering - and the evidence increasingly suggests they do - then current industry practices including live boiling, live transport in crowded conditions, and attachment of clips to claws cause significant welfare harm. The transition to humane practices is technically feasible and some institutions have demonstrated viability. The challenge is the scale of global production and the entrenched tradition of live cooking. Consumer demand for welfare standards, combined with regulatory action, is the most likely driver of change. The welfare improvement from requiring effective stunning before killing would be transformational for billions of animals.