In some countries, including Switzerland and New Zealand, it is already illegal to cook shellfish live. Now the British government also announced on Friday that decapods, an order of crustaceans, a class of cephalopods and mollusks, are among them. animal welfare bill will fall. It is related to animals such as octopus, squid, crabs, lobsters to shrimp. Unlike some other backboneless animals, decapod crustaceans and cephalopods have a complex central nervous system. One of the most important characteristics of consciousness. “Octopuses and other cephalopods have been protected for years in science, but until now there was no protection outside of it,” said LSE professor Jonathan Birch, who worked on the study.

The discovery follows a controversy over animal welfare legislation, which recognizes all vertebrates as living things. Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation submitted its report to the government, arguing that crustaceans and mollusks also have feelings. The ministers followed it and asked London School of Economics and Political Science To investigate independently. What else to guess: The report, published this month, found “strong evidence” that such animals are susceptible.

In addition to not cooking the animals alive, the report also included specific recommendations: a ban on declawing crabs, a ban on the sale of live crabs and lobsters to ‘untrained, unskilled individuals’ and a ban on the above slaughter in ways where a viable alternative exists. Is.

In the announcement, the British government stated that the law is “to ensure that animal welfare is properly considered in future decision-making”. The law will not affect existing legislation or industrial practices such as fishing.

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