Crabs, lobsters, and shrimp have well-developed nervous systems and may experience pain. The UK's Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act recognised crustacean sentience - a watershed moment.
Crustacean welfare is where legal protection is catching up with science. The 2022 recognition of decapod sentience in UK law was a watershed based on the LSE review's evidence. Lobsters and crabs placed in boiling water show avoidance behaviour and physiological stress responses consistent with pain experience. Shrimp farmed for food are subject to no meaningful welfare standards despite their sentience status. The Shrimp Welfare Project is pioneering practical welfare improvements including electrical pre-slaughter stunning. Consumer and regulatory pressure for better standards is the main lever for change.