Octopuses, squids and lobsters could become ‘sentient beings’ in the UK

UK recognizes octopuses, squids, crabs, and lobsters as sentient, reshaping future animal welfare policies.

Written by

Blue Ocean Team

Published on

September 19, 2022
BlogArticles

UK Recognizes Octopuses, Squids, Crabs, and Lobsters as Sentient Beings

A number of marine animals — including octopuses, squids, crabs, and lobsters — will now be recognized as sentient beings under the UK’s proposed Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. This change marks a significant step in how governments consider animal welfare in policymaking.

Expanding the Bill

The legislation was first introduced in May 2021 and originally covered only vertebrates — animals with backbones. However, following new scientific findings, the UK government announced on November 19 that two invertebrate groups will also be included: cephalopod mollusks (such as octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish) and decapod crustaceans (including crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish).

The Science Behind the Decision

The change was driven by a comprehensive report from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Lead researcher Jonathan Birch explained that after reviewing more than 300 scientific studies, his team concluded that these invertebrates meet the criteria for sentience. “Sentience is the capacity to have feelings, such as pain, pleasure, hunger, or joy,” the researchers noted. Evidence included both biological indicators — like pain receptors and relevant brain structures — and behavioral studies showing that these animals actively avoid harmful situations.

What Sentience Recognition Means

By recognizing cephalopods and decapods as sentient, the government must now consider their wellbeing in any future policymaking. Lord Zac Goldsmith, the UK’s animal welfare minister, emphasized that “the science is now clear that decapods and cephalopods can feel pain, and therefore, it is only right they are covered by this vital piece of legislation.”

Limitations and Concerns

However, the new recognition does not alter existing laws that regulate how these animals are handled. Practices such as selling them to untrained handlers, transporting them in ice-cold water, and boiling them alive without stunning remain legal in the UK. These methods, often criticized as cruel, continue despite mounting scientific evidence of animal suffering.

Calls for Stronger Protections

Researchers and animal welfare advocates are urging lawmakers to go further. They argue that current practices should be outlawed to align legislation with scientific understanding. Notably, boiling lobsters alive without stunning is already illegal in countries

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