Signal crayfish and other farmed crayfish species are increasingly consumed in Europe, with welfare questions about slaughter methods and farming conditions gaining attention.
Crayfish slaughter welfare is governed by the same scientific uncertainty as other decapod crustaceans, but the evidence increasingly supports some capacity for pain experience. Boiling live crayfish results in a prolonged death that lasts several minutes during which the animal shows escape behaviour. Spiking or chilling followed by rapid killing represents a more welfare-considerate approach. Regulatory frameworks lag behind the science on decapod welfare.