Lobster
from the cold depths of the sea to the boiling pot
Behind their shells hides a sentient individual who prefers to live alone. Yet we cram them into small tanks, pull off their limbs, and boil them alive. Read how we at Dyrenes Alliance no to boiling lobsters and how you can help them.
Like so many other sea creatures, lobsters are grossly misunderstood by us humans. We overlook their ability to feel, their complex behavior, and their need for a peaceful life in the depths of the ocean. Instead, lobsters are reduced to a "delicacy," and this has serious consequences for the animals.
Is it ethical to eat lobster?
We see lobsters as a luxury food. Just a piece of decorated seafood on a plate. But lobsters are much more than that—they are sentient beings, capable of remembering, learning, and feeling pain. Each lobster is an individual, just like every other animal in the sea.
It lives alone in the dark cliffs and crevices of the sea—it is solitary and territorial. This is how the lobster understands and interacts with its natural environment. It has a complex nervous system and pain receptors that enable it to feel pain.
And yet, every year, thousands of lobsters are caught, transported, and boiled alive. A death that is one of the most painful ways to die. It is not a natural part of the ocean's cycle—it is man-made suffering.
Imagine being pulled out of the water, placed on ice, having your claws tied together, and after several days of stress and panic, being thrown into boiling water. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many lobsters today. We must change this.
🧠 Did you know?
The lobster is Denmark's largest decapod crustacean.
Lobsters feel pain and actively try to avoid discomfort.
They have complex nervous systems and learn from past experiences.
In nature, they live alone and do not thrive in cramped, communal tanks.
Stressful conditions before they are euthanized
Like other crustaceans and fish, lobsters have an advanced nervous system and pain receptors that enable them to feel pain and discomfort. They can remember painful experiences and actively try to avoid them. Nevertheless, every year they are subjected to methods that few people would defend if they were used on an animal we had a close relationship with.
Even before they are killed, they suffer greatly. Lobsters are solitary and territorial animals, but in the fishing boats' tanks they are crammed together with many others, their claws tied with elastic bands, unable to defend themselves and thus unable to behave naturally. The dirty, disease-ridden water and transport over several days cause enormous amounts of stress.
You may have seen restaurants with large aquariums filled with lobsters with their claws locked together. Here, you can choose which individual will be boiled alive and served as the next course. This is an unethical practice, and we must assume that it is a highly stressful environment for the lobsters.
We should therefore ask ourselves: Would we accept having a dog's legs pulled off, a cat boiled alive, or them being put on display in dirty, empty cages before we ate them? If not, why accept it when it comes to lobsters?
What is the best thing you can do for lobsters?
Studies show that lobsters can experience pain, which underscores the importance of minimizing their suffering. With regard to killing, research shows that certain methods of stunning and killing lobsters can reduce signs of pain and stress. It has been observed that animals without stunning react with violent movements as signs of stress behavior and a desire to escape, while stunned animals show significantly fewer reactions. Based on this knowledge, technologies for "humane killing" have been developed, such as CrustaStun—an electric stunning and killing device that paralyzes the nervous system of lobsters. However, it may also be that the animals are merely paralyzed and still conscious.
Is that good enough? We don't think so at Dyrenes Alliance. Instead, we should stop seeing lobsters as something that humans should eat. The best way to achieve this is by switching to a plant-based diet. There are already many delicious and healthy alternatives to crustaceans and fish, which can be purchased in more and more supermarkets. Choosing to become vegan is a choice to say no to the suffering of lobsters and all other animals. That is what we believe is best for lobsters.
🧠 Did you know?
Lobsters typically live to be between 30 and 40 years old – unfortunately, many are caught and boiled to death when they are very young.
Lobsters use complex forms of communication, including chemical signals, visual cues, and low-frequency buzzing.
Boiling lobsters alive is prohibited in Switzerland because of their ability to feel pain.
You can help us help the lobsters
Vegan ethics insists that all sentient beings have intrinsic value. The life of a lobster is no less valuable simply because it lives beneath the surface of the sea. Unfortunately, the suffering of lobsters is not an isolated example of marine animals suffering for the sake of humans. It is time we expanded our empathy and left the creatures of the sea in peace.
But it's not about perfection. It's about taking a stand. When we choose what we eat, we also choose what we support. You can therefore: