A decade of decapod protection: Celebrating 10 years of Crustacean Compassion

In this special anniversary blog, our CEO Dr Ben Sturgeon reflects on a decade of progress for crabs, lobsters, prawns, and crayfish. Ten years ago, a shocking discovery sparked a movement that would help change laws, shift public attitudes and challenge industry practices. As the charity marks its tenth anniversary, Ben looks back on how far the movement has come - and the work still left to do.

Ten years ago, a small group of determined volunteers stumbled upon a sight they simply couldn't ignore. Live crabs were being sold in shops, immobilised in shrink-wrap packaging, unable to move, unable to escape.  They were without all legal protection and suffered as a result. What began with shock evolved into something much bigger: a movement dedicated to transforming the way society views and treats some of the most overlooked animals on the planet.

Today, as Crustacean Compassion celebrates its tenth anniversary, there is much to reflect upon and even more to celebrate.

Over the last decade, we have grown from a volunteer-led campaign into the UK's leading voice for decapod crustacean welfare. Through persistence, evidence-based advocacy, collaboration, and public engagement, we have helped change laws, influence industries, inspire future generations, and bring the welfare of crabs, lobsters, prawns and crayfish firmly into the public conversation.

Most importantly, we have helped millions of people recognise something that science has long been telling us: these animals matter.

From a simple question to a national movement

When Crustacean Compassion was founded in 2016, it set out to answer a fundamental question: why were animals such as crabs and lobsters excluded from animal welfare protections? The answer revealed a significant gap in scientific evidence, public awareness, and legislative consideration.

At the time, crustacean welfare was rarely discussed. There were few dedicated welfare standards, limited scientific consideration within policy frameworks, and little public understanding of the lives and experiences of these remarkable animals. Rather than accepting the status quo, Crustacean Compassion chose to challenge it.

Over the following years, we built a formidable evidence base, publishing ground-breaking reports, engaging leading scientists and vets, working alongside animal welfare organisations across the UK and internationally, and supporting ministers, Defra, and the Home Office in their decision-making.

What started as a small campaign has steadily become a recognised and respected voice in animal welfare policy in the UK and worldwide.

A landmark victory for animal welfare

Perhaps the defining achievement of the last decade came in 2022. Following years of campaigning, consultation responses, evidence submissions, public petitions, and parliamentary engagement, decapod crustaceans were formally recognised as sentient beings under the UK's Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act.

It was a historic moment. For the first time, crabs, lobsters, prawns, and crayfish were legally acknowledged as animals capable of experiencing pain, distress and positive experiences.

The achievement represented far more than a legislative amendment. It marked a profound shift in how society understands and values these animals. Importantly, it demonstrated the power of science-led advocacy.

The London School of Economics review commissioned by government confirmed CC’s own evidence of sentience in decapod crustaceans. The findings echoed what our campaigners, scientists, and welfare experts had been arguing for, and helped secure one of the most significant advances in crustacean welfare anywhere in the world.

Turning recognition into protection

Recognition, however, was never the end goal. It was just the beginning. Since securing legal recognition of sentience, Crustacean Compassion has continued working tirelessly to transform acknowledgement into meaningful protection.

One of our most high-profile campaigns has focused on ending the practice of boiling conscious crustaceans alive.

For years, we highlighted the scientific evidence, ethical concerns, and available alternatives. Through public campaigns, parliamentary engagement, and industry collaboration, the issue has gained unprecedented attention. In 2025, that work achieved a major breakthrough when the UK Government confirmed that boiling crustaceans alive is an unacceptable method of killing. For many supporters, it represented another milestone in a decade defined by persistence and progress.

We are now working with government and industry partners to ensure humane slaughter guidance becomes standard practice across the sector.

Influencing industry from sea to plate

Real change requires more than legislation. It also requires practical solutions.

Recognising this, we have spent much of the past decade engaging directly with the seafood industry to improve welfare standards throughout the supply chain.

In 2022, we established The Snapshot: Industry Benchmark on Decapod Crustacean Welfare, the first report of its kind anywhere in the world. The benchmark assesses leading seafood businesses on their management and reporting of crustacean welfare, providing transparency for consumers and encouraging companies to strengthen their commitments. The results have been remarkable.

Encouragingly, the average overall welfare score for assessed companies more than tripled, rising from 14% in 2022 to 46% in 2025. Progress was also evident in corporate transparency and commitment, with 77% of companies now publishing specific crustacean welfare policies, up from just 43% in 2022. These improvements demonstrate that when businesses are provided with clear standards, practical guidance and constructive engagement, meaningful change is possible.

The launch of the Crustacean Industry Welfare Hub in 2023 further strengthened this work, providing resources, guidance, and opportunities for collaboration across the seafood sector.

Today, hundreds of businesses, academics and professionals are engaging with welfare issues that were largely absent from industry discussions just a decade ago.

Building public awareness

Legislation and industry change are essential, but lasting progress also depends on public understanding. Over the last ten years, Crustacean Compassion has helped bring crustacean welfare into mainstream conversations.

From national newspaper coverage and television appearances to social media campaigns and public events, we have consistently challenged assumptions and encouraged people to think differently about the animals behind the seafood on their plates. The numbers tell an impressive story.

• More than 100,000 campaign actions have been taken by supporters, including petitions, letters to politicians, and public engagement initiatives.

• Media coverage has reached an estimated audience of 16.8 million people.

• Our supporter community has grown to more than 22,000 followers and subscribers.

Yet perhaps even more significant is the shift in public attitudes. Recent polling reveals a profound change in how people view crustaceans. In 2025, 76% of respondents agreed that crabs and lobsters feel pain, while strong majorities supported legal protections, humane slaughter requirements, and greater government regulation of welfare standards.

What was once considered a niche issue has become a mainstream concern. Public opinion is increasingly aligned with scientific evidence, creating powerful momentum for future reforms.

Inspiring the next generation

One of the most exciting developments in recent years has been our growing focus on education. Protecting animals in the future requires inspiring those who will shape that future.

Through initiatives such as Children's Corner, Rockpool Rangers, and educational resources for schools and families, we are helping young people discover the fascinating world of crustaceans while learning about kindness, empathy, and responsible stewardship of nature. The creation of Henry the Hermit Crab mascot and his ‘decapod squad’  has brought these messages to life for younger audiences, making welfare and conservation engaging, accessible and fun.

By nurturing curiosity and compassion in children today, we are helping build a generation that sees these animals not simply as products, but as living beings worthy of respect.

A global community of compassion

While Crustacean Compassion is a UK charity, our influence increasingly extends far beyond national borders. Our research, campaigns, and policy work have been referenced internationally, helping inspire welfare discussions and initiatives in countries including Chile, Italy, and the United States.

The inaugural Crustacean Compassion Day in 2025 brought together supporters, advocates, and experts from around the world to celebrate progress and share ideas for future change.

These growing international connections highlight an important truth: concern for animal welfare knows no borders. The movement to improve crustacean welfare is becoming increasingly global.

Looking ahead

Despite a decade of extraordinary progress, the work is far from finished. Millions of crustaceans continue to face welfare challenges throughout capture, transport, farming, research and slaughter. Significant gaps remain within legislation and policy frameworks.

Our 2025–2028 strategy sets out an ambitious roadmap for the years ahead. Key priorities include ending harmful practices such as mutilations and live posting, securing inclusion within the Animal Welfare Act, improving welfare standards across industries, strengthening protections for wild crustaceans, and ensuring that scientific advances continue to inform policy decisions.

We are also expanding our work on wild welfare, sustainability, and coastal communities, and recognising the complex relationship between animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and economic livelihoods.

Celebrating a decade of change

Looking back across the past ten years, the achievements are extraordinary.

• A small volunteer campaign has become a registered charity with national influence.

• A neglected welfare issue has become a recognised public concern.

• Scientific evidence has been transformed into legislative action.

• Industry practices have improved.

• Public attitudes have shifted.

• Most importantly, countless animals have benefited from the progress achieved so far.

Every petition signed, every supporter who shared a campaign, every researcher who contributed evidence, every company that improved its practices, and every child who learned about crustaceans through educational programmes has played a part in this story.

A decade ago, few people imagined crustacean welfare would become a mainstream animal welfare issue. Today, thanks to the determination of countless supporters and the mission of Crustacean Compassion, that future is already beginning to take shape. The last ten years have shown what is possible when compassion is combined with evidence, persistence and hope. The next decade promises even more. Because every sentient animal deserves consideration. Every voice can make a difference. And every step forward brings us closer to a world where compassion extends beneath the waves.

This Crustacean Compassion Day, you can turn words into action.

If you’ve been moved by what you’ve read, the most powerful way to stand with us today is by becoming a monthly supporter. Right now, every £1 you give each month could be worth up to 12 times as much from a generous matched funding opportunity, transforming a small, steady act of kindness into extraordinary impact for crabs, lobsters and other sentient animals. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to make a difference, this is it. Thank you.

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