Compassion for Crabs: Why They Matter
Crabs are super-cute creatures who usually walk sideways with their 10 legs, but actually are able to walk in all directions. They communicate by drumming and waving their pincers and (like octopuses) have 360 degree vision, so can see in all directions.
Understanding Crab Sentience
Crabs, like many animals, have a central nervous system. It’s not as complex as ours, but it’s still significant. Research has shown that crabs react to unpleasant stimuli in a way that suggests discomfort.
They produce stress hormones akin to those found in mammals experiencing pain. The brain structure, while simple, is enough to imply these creatures might feel pain just as we do.
Crabs behave in ways that point to a capacity for experience. They seek out safe spaces, avoid harmful environments, and even engage in play-like activities. These actions hint at an ability to feel both suffering and joy. Sometimes, they even show signs of remembering past experiences, altering their behaviour accordingly. It’s a lot more than just mindless scuttling.
Did you know that it’s proven that declawed crabs try to shield and nurse their wounds? So they do feel pain (confirmed by science) and don’t let any chef tell you otherwise.
Ban Selling & cooking Live Crabs
Crustacean Compassion campaigns to stop the sale of live crustaceans in shops (and online retailers that send them to people’s homes) and wants an end to non-trained people being able to kill them (presently, the only ‘humane’ death is using stunning equipment that most people don’t have).
The charity also wants an end to selling live creatures in tanks (it also campaigns for cephalopods: octopus (sometimes eaten alive), squid (used for calamari) and cuttlefish (dried versions are often used to entertain budgies). Also read of reasons not to eat lobsters .
Sign the petition to ask the government to make it illegal to kill crustaceans inhumanely, send them in the post or keep them alive in tanks for human sale and consumption.
When doing surveys with supermarkets, it found that all (bar Marks & Spencer and Waitrose) have hardly any welfare policy for selling crustaceans. Even though by law, they are now recognised as sentient beings under the 2022 Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act.
Hermit Crabs and the Cost of Litter
Hermit crabs rely on empty shells for homes. Rubbish along beaches, including plastic and metal, now mixes with washed-up shells. Some crabs climb into bottle tops or bits of plastic, then struggle to survive.
Beach cleans remove deadly litter, meaning hermit crabs and other coastal animals stay safe. The simple act of picking up rubbish on your day at the seaside goes further than you think.
Many Crabs Get Hurt During Crabbing
Crabbing is a favourite family activity, but it comes at a cost. Many of the crabs caught in buckets under piers get injured, stressed, or trapped. Tight clusters in small pots, poor water quality, or long exposure to sun harms them.
Hundreds of injured or dead crabs are left behind after busy weekends. Choosing to skip crabbing trips and simply teach your child about marine wildlife is better.
Never Take Shells from the Beach
Taking home empty shells might seem harmless, but those shells could shelter hermit crabs or small creatures hiding from predators. By leaving shells where you find them, you support a busy ecosystem.
Every shell on the sand is a possible home or hideout. Encourage friends and children to look, not take, when they explore the strandline. This also helps to prevent coastal erosion.
If you want to learn more about crabs, read Life Between the Tides that teaches about the creatures that inhabit our shoreline.
Plant-Based Alternatives to Crab
But there’s good news. You don’t have to give up the flavour you love. Plant-based crab alternatives are entering the scene. They offer similar tastes without the ethical baggage.
Not only are they kinder, but they’re better for the planet too. They reduce the environmental strain of traditional fishing methods. Compassionate dining can be delicious, after all.
Vegan Crab Cakes (A Couple Cooks) also uses hearts of palm (again sub with canned artichoke hearts) along with old bay spice. Use multi-stemmed hearts of palm if using for sustainability, or just sub with canned artichokes, which have no issues.
Avoid seaweed for thyroid/iodine issues. Read food safety for people & pets (many human foods including mushrooms are unsafe around animal friends).
Artichoke Crab Cakes (It Doesn’t Feel Like Chicken) are simple to make, and add a little nori seaweed, to make them tasty ‘fishy’.
Look in stores for vegan crab cakes by Good Catch and The Plant-Based Seafood Company (both endorsed by top chefs). Recycle packaging at kerbside or supermarket bag bins.
