Netherlands to ban live boiling of lobsters, crabs

Minister Carola Schouten of Agriculture wants to ban the live boiling of lobsters and crabs. It must become standard practice in Dutch restaurants that these animals are first killed before they are cooked, she promised during the parliamentary debate on the agriculture budget, NOS reports.

In response to a PvdD call for a ban, Schouten said that it was being looked at in a European context and that she thinks it is an excellent thing. She will also look into what can be done in the Netherlands to ensure that the animals are not cooked alive. Until there's a ban, Schouten wants chefs and restaurants to take steps themselves. Many restaurants no longer cook crabs and lobsters alive, she said. And alternative cooking methods are also being looked at in chef training.

"I want to see how I can also make that more suitable, in such a way that we don't cook any more animals alive if there are also ways to kill them faster and with less pain," she said.

This follows a recent study commissioned by the British government that found strong scientific evidence that crabs, lobsters, and octopuses can suffer and experience pain. Britain, therefore, added them to the animal protection legislation. Animal welfare organizations want the Netherlands to do the same.