Killing them softly: If crustaceans indeed feel pain, will sales of live crabs and lobsters suffer?

摘要

Dlaced onto the scale, the lobster gently twitched an antenna. Its shell maintained familiar ocean hues of mottled green and brown. But despite these signs of life, it was, assuredly, quite dead. The lobster had been ordered from the seafood counter at Whole Foods Market in Portland, Maine, which is the only store in the nationwide chain that sells live lobsters. This is because Portland is located close enough to the ports where lobsters are unloaded so Whole Foods can guarantee its live lobsters are handled with care during shipping and processing. For the final step of its delicate care of live lobsters, the retailer will also kill a shellfish "humanely" by quickly electrocuting it in a device in the back room.