Lobsters were recognised as sentient in November 2021 (Image: Getty)
Scientists, celebrities and campaigners are demanding a ban on boiling lobsters alive due to strong evidence that they can feel pain.
Lobsters, crabs and octopus were among creatures recognised as sentient under the Welfare (Sentience) Bill in 2021.
But the Government has so far refused to implement an outright ban on boiling lobsters alive.
TV presenter Anthea Turner, her sister Wendy Turner-Webster, and actress Jenny Seagrove were among stars who signed a letter to the Government organised by The Animal Welfare Foundation.
It said two studies by the London School of Economics and University of Gothenburg provided “strong evidence that decapod crustaceans are sentient and feel pain”.
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Boiling them alive should therefore be unlawful under the the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 (WATOK), which makes it an offence to , including invertebrates, in a way that causes avoidable pain, distress or suffering, the group argued.
Food safety concerns are sometimes cited as a reason for boiling lobsters alive, as the method quickly destroys harmful bacteria.
But the letter noted that the most humane method identified in the LSE research for killing a decapod crustacean was “whole body splitting for lobsters”.
It went on: “When done by an experienced practitioner, whole-body splitting should take no more than 10 seconds.
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“In contrast, boiling crustaceans alive is a common method used to kill the animals at and in private homes. This practice can last up to several minutes and causes severe pain.
“This illustrates that there are alternative killing methods and therefore the boiling alive is avoidable.”
The campaigners concluded: “We call on DEFRA to urgently revise its position and provide clear guidance confirming that decapod crustaceans have rights under WATOK and that they should be enforcing the Regulations when welfare breaches are uncovered.”