Seastar wasting disease has caused catastrophic mortality of sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America since 2013, eliminating over 90% of sunflower sea stars and significantly impacting other species. The disease causes dramatic physical deterioration.
Sea stars affected by wasting disease undergo dissolution of tissue that, if they have any form of nociception, would constitute significant suffering. The disease process is prolonged and visually dramatic. Ecologically, the removal of keystone predators has caused cascading welfare harm to kelp forest species through unchecked sea urchin grazing. The ecological welfare implications extend far beyond individual sea stars to the entire kelp forest ecosystem.