Crayfish are farmed in large numbers in Europe, North America and China, yet their welfare during farming and slaughter is poorly understood and largely unregulated.
The 2022 recognition of decapod crustacean sentience in UK law creates a legal basis for welfare concern about farmed crayfish, yet specific welfare standards for crayfish farming remain absent. Scientific evidence suggests crayfish have functional nociception and show learned avoidance of noxious stimuli - indicators of capacity for suffering. In farmed settings, aggression and limb loss from crowding are common. Slaughter practices lag behind the science. The RSPCA and welfare scientists call for development of humane killing methods and farming standards that minimise pain and stress. This is an area where welfare progress is urgently needed at scale.