http://www.crustaceancompassion.org/

Crustacean Compassion, London (2026)

07/08/2026

Big news for decapod crustaceans. 🦀🦞

Following the UK Government's public consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act earlier this year, which Crustacean Compassion responded to alongside more than 6,000 others, the Government has now published its response.

The White Paper proposes aligning the definition of 'animal' with the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, explicitly including decapod crustaceans in a reformed Veterinary Surgeons Act.

The Government says it will 'look to secure a Bill slot as soon as Parliamentary time allows' to bring forward this new legislation.

This is another important milestone in ensuring crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans are recognised within UK law as the sentient animals they are.

Now we need to see this precedent reflected across the rest of UK animal welfare legislation - including the Animal Welfare Acts - so that recognition is consistently translated into meaningful protections for decapod crustaceans.

05/08/2026

🦀 National Marine Week 2026: Incredible Journeys 🦀

This year's theme is "Incredible Journeys", and in Cornwall, UK we've witnessed one of the most spectacular marine journeys of all.

Every year, thousands of spider crabs gather in our coastal waters, migrating in huge numbers to moult and grow. These remarkable mass aggregations, sometimes called "crab cities", are among the UK's most extraordinary wildlife events.

Their journey is a powerful reminder that our seas are full of fascinating, sentient animals living complex lives beneath the waves. As we celebrate National Marine Week, let's also recognise the importance of protecting marine habitats and ensuring compassion for all marine life.

📸 Have you ever spotted a spider crab aggregation along the Cornish coast?

https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/26429275.hundreds-spider-crabs-off-coast-st-ives-cornwall/

04/08/2026

Noel Edmonds' decision to release lobsters back to sea has sparked an important conversation, and we welcome the compassion behind his concern for lobsters and the attention this has brought to their welfare.

But it also raises an important question: why was he, or anyone else, still able to buy a live, sentient animal in the first place?

Every day, live crabs and lobsters are kept in often unsuitable tanks and sold to the public to be taken home and killed however people choose, with little or no protection for their welfare. We would never accept this treatment for other sentient animals, yet crustaceans continue to be denied even the most basic safeguards.

Science has shown that crabs, lobsters and other decapod crustaceans are capable of feeling pain. They deserve compassion, respect and legal protection.

The real solution isn't for individuals to buy these animals after they've entered the supply chain. It's to stop them being sold alive in the first place. It's time to end the sale of live crabs and lobsters and give these sentient animals the protection they deserve.

31/07/2026

‼️ BREAKING NEWS: Wales set to ban boiling crustaceans alive ‼️

This is a major win for animal welfare.

The Welsh Government has followed Westminster in recognising that boiling decapod crustaceans alive is not an acceptable way to kill them. We know these animals can experience significant suffering when killed this way.

We're proud to have been one of more than 40 organisations that signed the letter with the The Animal Law Foundation calling for this change, and we look forward to working with the Welsh Government on the new guidance, just as we've done with DEFRA over many years.

Crustacean Compassion CEO Ben Sturgeon said: “This victory shows what can happen when the animal protection movement comes together. While we welcome this acknowledgment from the Welsh Government, words alone are not enough. Without action, animals will continue to suffer. We have already waited too long for guidance in England. It must now be published without delay, giving chefs, consumers and seafood businesses the clarity they need to adopt more humane practices and prevent needless animal suffering.”

Today is a huge step forward. Now it's time to turn commitment into action.

29/07/2026

Rockpool Rangers is back!! 🌊🦀🐚

Join us this summer in Cornwall with your little explorers for our FREE Rockpool Ranger sessions. The sessions are all about connecting with nature, building a love for our seas, and learning how small actions can make a big difference for marine life.

🔭 Use our amazing underwater telescopes to see beneath the surface
🎒 Pick up a FREE activity pack packed with seaside discoveries
🏅 Earn your very own Rockpool Ranger badge
💙 Learn how to explore rockpools responsibly and respectfully
🌊 Help protect Cornwall's incredible marine wildlife

Details of our next session:
📅 Friday 31 July
🕝 11am - 4pm*(tide time and weather dependent)*
📍 Location: Holywell Beach

Let's inspire the next generation of ocean guardians, one rockpool at a time.

23/07/2026

We congratulate Andy Burnham on his appointment as the UK's new Prime Minister.

We look forward to working with him to deliver better protection and improved welfare for decapod crustaceans - including fulfilling the Animal Welfare Strategy promises with speedy publication of the slaughter guidelines for crustaceans and ending inhumane practices, plus their overdue inclusion in the Animal Welfare Act and Animals in (Scientific Procedures) Act.

Lets make this new change, an opportunity to better decapod crustacean welfare!

Welfare

22/07/2026

📢 Animal Law Day: A Collaboration for decapod crustaceans

Today, on Animal Law Day, Crustacean Compassion and Replacing Animal Research are proud to share collaborative guest blogs exploring a significant gap in UK animal welfare law: the continued lack of protection for decapod crustaceans under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).

Despite decapod crustaceans being recognised as sentient in UK law – animals such as crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimps – they remain excluded from the legal protections afforded to vertebrates and cephalopods used in scientific research.

Drawing on our respective areas of expertise, we delve into the legal, scientific and ethical implications of this exclusion, while highlighting the work of leading experts who have contributed their knowledge and perspectives. Together, we examine why this issue matters, what it means for animal welfare, and the opportunities for ASPA to better reflect the latest scientific understanding.

We invite you to read the blogs, hear from the experts, and join the conversation on how the law can evolve to ensure that all sentient animals are afforded appropriate protection.

🔗 Read the blogs:
🦞 https://www.crustaceancompassion.org/single-post/animal-law-day-progress-towards-protecting-decapod-crustaceans-in-science
🔬 https://replacinganimalresearch.org.uk/crustacean-compassion-guest-blog

18/07/2026

🦐 The true cost of cheap shrimp is far higher than the price on the shelf

A new investigation reveals that Europe’s growing demand for imported farmed shrimp is contributing to the destruction of Ecuador’s precious mangrove ecosystems, with up to 90% of wild mangroves lost in some coastal estuaries. These vital habitats protect biodiversity, store carbon, and support countless animals and local communities.

The report also raises serious concerns about animal welfare, environmental damage, public health risks, and poor working conditions linked to intensive shrimp production.
As consumers, retailers, and policymakers, we must look beyond "cheap" seafood and ask who, and what, is paying the price.

17/07/2026

🦀 Fun Fact Friday

Did you know that hermit crabs could help scientists track the impacts of climate change?

A recent review found that rising ocean temperatures can affect where hermit crabs live, when they reproduce, how their larvae develop, and even the availability of the empty shells they depend on for survival. As oceans warm, these remarkable decapod crustaceans may shift their ranges and alter their life cycles in response.

Because hermit crabs are abundant, sensitive to environmental change, and closely tied to coastal ecosystems, researchers suggest they could serve as indicator species - helping us monitor the effects of climate change on marine life.

https://buff.ly/bjnOhC8

17/07/2026

🦀 Fun Fact Friday

Did you know that hermit crabs could help scientists track the impacts of climate change?

A recent review found that rising ocean temperatures can affect where hermit crabs live, when they reproduce, how their larvae develop, and even the availability of the empty shells they depend on for survival. As oceans warm, these remarkable decapod crustaceans may shift their ranges and alter their life cycles in response.

Because hermit crabs are abundant, sensitive to environmental change, and closely tied to coastal ecosystems, researchers suggest they could serve as indicator species - helping us monitor the effects of climate change on marine life.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S1063074026700070

Crustacean Compassion

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