Fishes and other Sea Animals Articles from All-Creatures.org

Why do we boil lobsters alive - and do they feel pain?

From Sascha Camilli, SpeciesUnite.com
August 2024

Lobsters are not red in their natural state. There are over 50 species of lobster in the world, in an array of hues, most prevalently blue and green. The famous red shade is only acquired when the animals are boiled. And as such, the color should be synonymous with unimaginable suffering rather than Michelin-starred delight.

A common delicacy in restaurants around the world, lobster is known for its bright red color. Depicted on pricey menus and fancy restaurant signs, the scarlet-hued lobster is a symbol of culinary excellence. However, lobsters aren't red in their natural state – there are over 50 species of lobster in the world, in an array of hues, most prevalently blue and green. The famous red shade is only acquired when the animals are boiled. And as such, the color should be synonymous with unimaginable suffering rather than Michelin-starred delight.

In seafood restaurants across the globe, chefs kill lobsters in one of two ways: either slicing them in half or boiling them alive. The latter process is so violent and unpalatable that chefs sometimes leave the room while the animal is being boiled. It's a common sight for lobsters to frantically scratch at the pot in a desperate attempt to escape. Despite this, the world still has only in part accepted the scientific idea that lobsters, like other crustaceans, do indeed feel pain.

In 2019, an estimated 37-60 billion farmed crayfish and lobsters were killed around the globe. Lobsters are different from us – and the animals with whom we most frequently communicate, such as cats and dogs – in many ways. But they are also more similar to us than we might think.

They also carry their offspring for nine months, for example. Lobsters can live to be over a hundred years old, take seasonal journeys, and establish social relationships. They use complex signals to explore their surroundings. Neurobiologist Tom Abrams has said that “lobsters have a full array of senses.”

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Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.

"The boiling process is so violent and unpalatable that chefs sometimes leave the room while the animal is being boiled. It's a common sight for lobsters to frantically scratch at the pot in a desperate attempt to escape. Despite this, the world still has only in part accepted the scientific idea that lobsters, like other crustaceans, do indeed feel pain."

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: September 2, 2024
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