Shellfish standards: UK seafood industry’s welfare codes spark debate over animal treatment

09 Aug 2024 --- Seafish, the Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB) and the Crab and Lobster Management Group (CMG) have released a best practice guide for the handling, storing and dispatching of live shellfish across the supply chain, from catching to food service. However, animal welfare groups warn that the lack of necessary compliance to the guidelines and the continuation of some cruel practices undermine efforts to improve ethics and sustainability in aquaculture. 

The guide specifies correct handling and storage techniques for handlers of large decapod crustaceans in the food, retail and processing sectors. These recommendations include avoiding physical impact and crushing, which can cause internal and external injuries.

“Seafish is pleased to have worked with businesses across the seafood sector to develop the Codes of Practice for Crustacea Welfare. They were developed to fill a critical gap following the recognition of crustacea as sentient,” the organization tells Food Ingredients First.

“The new codes set a standard for welfare and are designed so that they can be continuously reviewed and updated as research and technology around crustacean welfare improves.”

The guidelines
Seafish, SAGB and CMG’s guidelines cover species such as crabs, lobsters and crawfish (including the European spiny lobster, Palinurus elephas), Nephrops for the live market and brown shrimp.

“While many businesses already take the correct steps to manage crustacea welfare because it is good for business, until now, there has been no formal guidance available to reflect the needs of the different parts of the seafood supply chain,” says Seafish.

The guide features recommendations on the ideal storing temperature and oxygen levels for in-water storage, which is used throughout the shellfish supply chain. It also includes appropriate stunning and dispatch methods to ensure that crustaceans do not feel pain or distress.

The industry guide features recommendations on the ideal storing temperature and oxygen levels for in-water shellfish storage.The organizations say live crustaceans should be monitored for signs of stress if the storage period exceeds 24 hours for the processing and wholesale sector.

Seafish states that foodservice players can implement these checks and balances and know they are efficient when the “staff have been shown how to avoid injuring crustaceans.” Businesses can also review their performance and identify improvement opportunities, setting targets where necessary.

The industry codes come amid calls for improving animal welfare practices in the UK, where the government recognized animal sentience across all vertebrate animals with the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022. The act covers all decapod crustaceans and cephalopod mollusks (shrimp, crabs, lobsters and octopuses).

“Setback to welfare standards”
Crustacean Compassion, an animal welfare organization, has criticized Seafish for “missing the opportunity” to intensify sustainable aquaculture and improve the reputation of the UK’s seafood industry. It says that although the codes guide certain best practices, seafood companies are ultimately not obliged to comply.

Dr. Ben Sturgeon, CEO of Crustacean Compassion, says: “The seafood industry is using smoke and mirrors to give the illusion of improving animal welfare while still allowing animals to suffer needlessly.”

The animal advocacy organization notes that several other cruel practices, such as “tearing animals apart while still alive, removal of their claws, cutting of tendons to immobilize claws and the sale of live decapods to members of the public,” are still permitted.

“The codes were a chance to build on the recognition of sentience in decapod crustaceans, but instead, they are an exercise in doing nothing and will set back welfare standards for years to come.”

However, Seafish tells us that animal welfare group Crustacean Compassion was “actively involved” in developing these codes, but has since “chosen to engage in media campaigns and publicly criticize this work rather than continue to work with us on the rollout of the codes.”

“We believe that the codes have benefitted from the input of Crustacean Compassion and there are many examples that we can point to where the codes reflect its feedback.”Crustacean Compassion says more robust action is crucial, with consumers and F&B players keen on establishing ethical sourcing standards.

Better sourcing practices
Crustacean Compassion says that more robust action is crucial, with consumers and critical F&B players keen on establishing ethical sourcing standards.

“With public awareness around decapod welfare growing rapidly, we’re seeing more retailers respond by setting a higher bar for their suppliers,” Sturgeon adds. “People want to feel good about the food they eat and expect supermarkets to ensure the highest animal welfare standards.”

He says that retailers such as Marks & Spencer and Waitrose are starting to adopt higher welfare standards for crustacean products for their customers.

“Suppliers who don’t meet those standards will soon be frozen out,” says Sturgeon.

Meanwhile, Seafish maintains that the codes “will assure consumers that these creatures have experienced good standards of welfare throughout their life.”

“The SAGB, the CMG and Seafish remain focused on helping businesses across the seafood sector to make the practical changes to ensure that the welfare needs of crustacea are being met.”

By Anvisha Manral