Our 2022 Wrap Up
Sentient by law
For us, 2022 will be best remembered as the year that the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act became law - and for good reason, as this was the very first time that animals like crabs, lobsters and prawns (decapod crustaceans) were included in UK legislation. Prior to this, they had no more protection than a brussels sprout.
This significant achievement means that the welfare of these animals must be considered when making policy decisions and will influence how they are handled and treated – not just in 2022, but for many years to come. Here at Crustacean Compassion, we’re proud of the role we played in getting these fascinating but vulnerable animals the protection they deserve and are already planning what’s next for 2023.
Working together for decapods
We’re grateful to have worked with many wonderful teams and individuals this year. From the Better Deal for Animals Coalition (formed of over 50 leading UK animal welfare organisations) to the Eurogroup for Animals (who shortlisted us for their campaign award!) and even our very own team here at Crustacean Compassion, which has grown by not one, but four new members! Together, we have achieved great things for decapod welfare and will continue to strive for their humane treatment.
Also keeping us busy was attending many conferences and meetings around the world, bringing decapod welfare to the agenda wherever we could - from the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona to the political Party Conferences here in the UK, and plenty more in between! We even hosted our very own webinar in celebration of World Animal Day – thank you to everyone who attended.
Our Amazon appeal continues...
This year, we also continued our campaign to stop online retailers, including Amazon, from selling live crustaceans. Over 5,000 supporters got involved and we’re happy to share that Amazon have since removed their listings of live crabs and lobsters – a huge achievement, but we aren't stopping there! Until Amazon makes a public commitment to permanent policy change, these listings could resume at any moment.
We’re bringing our Amazon Appeal into 2023. Here’s how you can help:
Write to your MP using our pre-drafted letter
Help raise awareness on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
So, what's next?
Now that the Sentience Act is law, we have ambitious plans to get decapod crustaceans the full protection they deserve, which means they must be included in the Animal Welfare Acts, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, and the Welfare at the Time of Killing Regulations and Welfare of Animals (Transport) Orders (read more about these here.) No matter what 2023 has in store, we’ll continue to #DemandMoreForDecapods.
Finally our CEO, Ben Sturgeon, has a very special New Year message for all our supporters:
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