On Wednesday 26 February, Crustacean Compassion convened a crucial Roundtable event, bringing together members from the three parliamentary Committees overseeing animal welfare, along with scientific experts and government officials to discuss the urgent need for improvements in decapod crustacean welfare.
This was a unique opportunity for members of the Animals in Science Committee, Animal Welfare Committee, and Animal Sentience Committee to come together and discuss their shared interests and work plans for crustaceans. The discussions provided a platform for collaboration and a much-needed exchange of ideas, highlighting both the progress made and the challenges that remain in ensuring decapod welfare is adequately addressed within UK legislation.
Three years on: progress and challenges
It has now been over three years since decapod crustaceans were officially recognised as animals capable of feeling pain, under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.Despite this landmark acknowledgment, meaningful action to improve protections for these animals has been slow. With the current government six months into their tenure, now is the time for action.
Key focus areas of the Roundtable
The Roundtable event covered three areas:
Legislative protections for crustaceans: the need for stronger legal frameworks to ensure decapod welfare is adequately safeguarded.
Enforcement of existing regulations: addressing gaps in oversight and compliance, particularly regarding transport and slaughter practices
Use of crustaceans in science: exploring ethical considerations and regulatory gaps in scientific research involving decapod crustaceans.
Insights from the discussion
After an initial overview of the key issues by Crustacean Compassion team members, discussions turned to the existing protections governing the transport and slaughter of crustaceans. A significant topic of debate was whether decapods should be explicitly included in broader animal welfare legislation across the UK. This is in line with what the Animal Sentience Committee are currently reviewing in their recent report, in that the definition of ‘animal’ in the Animal Welfare Sentience Act should be used in all other animal welfare legislation. This would certainly avoid the loopholes that crustaceans are currently stuck in.
When discussing the use of decapods in science, some positive steps were highlighted, in that some universities are proactively implementing ethical review processes for proposed experiments on crustaceans. However, concerns were raised about their continued exclusion from the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), which could leave researchers vulnerable (to prosecution) should animals die (or be killed inhumanely) during research without appropriate legal protections.
In addition, participants were surprised to learn that the Home Office has deferred consideration of decapod crustaceans under ASPA until Defra has completed its review of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). This decision is not only unjust and illogical but also entirely out of UK legal procedure, and hence without precedent. When cephalopod molluscs were granted protections under ASPA in 2012, no such dependency was required. The exclusion of decapod crustaceans from ASPA leaves them uniquely vulnerable — recognised as sentient in UK law yet denied the same legal protections afforded to other animals used in scientific research. This oversight creates a dangerous legal and ethical gap, failing both the animals and the researchers who study them. If the UK is truly committed to upholding rigorous animal welfare standards, this inconsistency must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Next steps and parliamentary advocacy
A summary report of the meeting will be provided to the participants and submitted to DEFRA officials, who could not attend the event. The insights gathered will also form part of Crustacean Compassion’s ongoing parliamentary work in the weeks and months to come.
Looking ahead, we plan to hold a briefing event for MPs later in the spring. This will serve as an opportunity to report back on the Roundtable findings and to continue advocating for urgent legislative and regulatory reforms to protect decapod crustaceans.
Why this matters
Decapods, including crabs, lobsters, and prawns, are sentient creatures capable of experiencing pain and distress. Despite scientific recognition of their sentience, their welfare remains an overlooked aspect of animal protection law. Crustacean Compassion is committed to ensuring that this changes, but progress requires the commitment of policymakers, enforcement agencies, and the wider public.
The time for action is now. We urge policymakers to take decisive steps to translate recognition into tangible protections for these animals.
Stay tuned for updates on our advocacy efforts and ways you can get involved in the fight for decapod welfare.