Boiling lobsters while they are alive and conscious will be banned as part of a government strategy to improve animal welfare in England.
Government ministers say that “live boiling is not an acceptable killing method” for crustaceans and alternative guidance will be published.
The practice is already illegal in Switzerland, Norway and New Zealand. Animal welfare charities say that stunning lobsters with an electric gun or chilling them in cold air or ice before boiling them is more humane.
The article headline isn’t government policy though. The government strategy only mentions lobsters once and its along with other crustaceans. Actions below that state they will make it clear live boiling is not an acceptable killing method. It isn’t completely clear but does sound like its for all of them.
Lobsters and crabs are some of the highest tonnage caught commercially where I live and the water rarely goes much below 10°c in the coldest of winter.