Shellfish depuration cleans bivalves before sale but can impose welfare costs on animals that may have limited sentience. Precautionary management is appropriate.
Applying welfare consideration to shellfish depuration reflects appropriate ethical humility about bivalve sentience. If bivalves have any capacity for negative states, crowded depuration in suboptimal conditions could cause harm. Managing density, maintaining optimal water parameters, and minimizing handling during depuration costs little while demonstrating appropriate care under uncertainty.