Bivalve mollusc farming produces protein with very low environmental impact, but growing scientific interest in bivalve sentience and welfare raises questions about their potential capacity for negative experiences during processing.
Bivalve welfare exists in a space of significant scientific uncertainty. Most welfare scientists consider bivalves very unlikely to experience pain given their extremely simple nervous systems. However, the precautionary principle suggests some consideration should be given to more rapid killing methods given the uncertainty. The environmental sustainability of bivalve aquaculture makes them among the most welfare-positive animal-source proteins available when the welfare of other species required to produce comparable nutrition is considered. Supporting bivalve aquaculture likely has net positive welfare effects compared to many alternative protein sources.