One of the biggest seafood stores in Sydney, Australia, was convicted
of animal cruelty after a worker was videotaped hacking the tail off a
lobster while the animal was still alive and fully conscious. The video
shows the lobster struggling desperately for nearly half a minute before the
worker feeds the lobster through a band saw, dismembering the animal.
Nicholas Seafood was charged with violating the New South
Wales Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Crustaceans were added to the act
in 1997 in response to growing evidence that crustaceans
feel pain. The popular seafood store pled guilty and was sentenced to a $1,500
fine. This is the first conviction for cruelty to a crustacean in New South
Wales.
In the United States, lobsters are denied even the most
basic legal protections. Not a single federal animal welfare law protects
crustaceans or fish. Many states also exclude crustaceans and fish from their
animal cruelty laws. As a result, countless aquatic animals used by the seafood
industry endure lives of unimaginable pain and slow, cruel deaths.
MFA’s 2010 undercover
investigation of a fish slaughter facility in Texas exposed workers using
pliers to pull the skin off live fish and cutting fully conscious fish in half.
Prosecutors in Texas refused to act despite clear evidence that these fish were
in excruciating pain. That’s why MFA is working to strengthen laws to protect
all animals, including aquatic animals like lobsters and fish.
Thankfully, you don’t have to wait another minute to help
stop the needless suffering of these sensitive animals. By choosing healthy
plant-based meals, you can ensure that lobsters, crabs, fish, and other aquatic
animals are spared senseless cruelty and death. Check out ChooseVeg.com for delicious recipes,
including six
savory vegan seafood recipes and nine vegan
sushi recipes!