Scallop farming through suspension culture and ranching raises questions about welfare during handling, harvesting and the environmental conditions of grow-out.
The welfare of scallops sits at the frontier of animal welfare science. Their nervous system, while complex by invertebrate standards, differs fundamentally from vertebrate pain processing systems. The precautionary principle suggests minimising unnecessary suffering and stress during handling and harvesting is appropriate. Hand dredging by divers is likely less damaging to individual scallops than mechanical dredging. The scientific community is actively investigating the nociceptive capabilities of bivalves.