Lobster Rights?
65Should animal rights apply to lobsters?
University for the Humane Treatment of Lobsters
They aren't cute or furry, they don't smile or look at you quizzically like kittens or seals, and I don't think they are near extinction. Still, not long ago I read that fisher folk back east were actually being sent to school, 'Lobster University' in fact, to learn how to handle their captives humanely, with respect, respect for the lobster that is, humane treatment of the creature before its undignified demise.
Formerly (back in the day) lobsters were considered 'cockroaches of the sea', scavengers. The only ethical question was how you pick em up and boil em without being seriously nabbed by one of their two vicious toothy claws that could break a finger at the very least. There was always some mock sentiment to their sound whilst boiling; their plaintive whine like air squeezed from a balloon and their shells clanging.
These are cooking sounds, not some kind of eco-location or vigorous escape plan hatching inside the enormous stove-pot, so they said. I'm not sure whether that's true or not but it doesn't concern me when I'm at the table.
Sacred Sea, Earth and Sky
On the other hand, lobsters are a form of life; life that sustains life in that vast mystery of creation, precious to us and sacred. Herein lies their 'right' to respect equal to that of all nature. Now, having a 'right' requires a sentient creature to formulate and acknowledge it. That would be us.
I'm all in favour of the right to life, but I'm guessing the lobster and its fellow sea creatures have not thought this through, so that leaves humans alone as creators and guardians of this delicious bottom dwellor. I seriously cannot fathom how individual fishermen and women will capture and prepare lobsters more humanely. But it does seem a small point in relation to large scale human scavaging of the ocean habitat bringing some species to near extinction. Let's hope its not lobster.
(For more lobster information, like the size of their brain, their nervous system, how they are trapped, try this website: http://www.gma.org/lobsters/trivia.html)
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They taste good? i wouldnt know of a more humane way to deal with them then already is being done.
Well, the article trys in a humorous way to suggest the smallness of this 'lobster liberation movement' compared to the more global and large scale impact of our fishing industry. I think there are market interests in getting undamaged and healthy lobsters to the table, rather than any ethcial concerns about their treatment.
By the way they have the brain of a cricket.
Regards!
wouldnt want any resturants going out of busniess would we? or a bunch of angry lobsters.
You know I heard that in Australia these days you need to cut the head clean off a lobster / crayfish as quickly as possible. Unlike the fellow in this video who almost seems to be toying with the lobster before doing it in. I mean did he really have to rip those claws off before he cut it slowly in half? Did he half to start the death cut from the tail? Why not the brain?
By chance 19 live lobsters arrived at my home this morning as a gift. I boiled up the pot, cut off their heads as quick as I could and cooked them up.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc8y2VpJtFE&NR=1
Your fan.
Mon.
Hi monitor, I have heard that suppliers kill them either by severing a nerve near the head or by a taser to their little brains. Otherwise, live lobsters should not be in overcrowded pens, they prefer solitude and will attack each other looking pretty battle scarred by the time they are on display.
I always thought that an instant, head first duck in boiling water finished them off quite quickly. Anyway, what about King Crab, do they have rights to 'humane' treatment too. Is there a crustacean liberation movement on the go?
I must add to my article a bit more about the kind of treatment needed to keep lobster healthy until they reach the plate. I'm a skeptic and I think that's where this is coming from. I googled the topic and was surprised what an issue it really is. I'm from the east coast of Canada where lobster used to be poor man's food. You could lure them onto shore with a an old smelly sock on your line, so I was told! School kids would exchange lobster sandwiches for coveted peanut butter and jam!
Newfoundland lobsters are the best by the way, OMG. The water is so cold there you find blue lobsters, and they are delicious! Never had crayfish, are they like crawdads?
Seriously, I think the real concern here is respect for our global ecosystem including the ocean habitat. Overfishing and dredging the ocean floor are the more serious concerns as well as disproportionate distribution of the food supply. Really, no one should be starving in this world, we need to break some marketing rules and restore the human family. Wish I could speak of this in more academic terms with more details, but I'm not an economist. Waiting for my son to graduate in economic development. Later.
Never have lobsters gotten so much attention. I think there are probably plenty of them to go around? what kind of rules do the fishermen have to follow ? i know i wouldnt want the ecosystem in a bad state because of corporate greed.
I know! This only proves how delicious and valued they really are... I just hope they know how much WE LOVE THEM...
WE ARE THE LOBSTER FAN CLUB...no doubt! Thanks for your notes , I guess I'll do a follow up on that one.
And I thought my mouth watering bento box article was more appealing.
Coming up...SEVEN SIGNS OF A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY ...
M
"Lobster Fan Club"? that will work. I guess we need to go out and catch all the lobsters and give them a humane cooking.
I liked what monitor said above about toying with the lobster. I tried to watch the video but it was so disgusting I had to leave. That won't stop me though from eating my next fresh Maine lobster. I am happy that the "lobster fan club" will give them a humane cooking.
Those lobsters dont know how good they have it and that we in the Lobster Fan Club have so much respect for them as we eat them.
I watched the video that hubpage member, monitor, posted - *blech* I know lobsters are a food source, but the 'death by torture' on the video was a bit too much for me. Probably, a great many people 'prepare' lobster with the same tactics, and nobody will ever stop that or think the method unreasonable. I'm not so sure anyone will ever convince the bulk of the population that lobsters have rights but mention of environmental concerns on this hub gives some strong argument toward honouring SOMETHING about lobsters, anyway. In an environmental argument, the issue would still pertain to the environment and lobsters would be secondary and concern for abundance of lobsters would be the point - not necessarily 'treatment of' - so I suppose people will keep eating lobster and toying with 'em on cutting boards for a long time to come. Personally, I just don't want to see that again. I think I will go have a salad for supper lol
"eat a salad and spare a lobsters life" new slogan for Lobster Fan Club?
I watched part of the video also. It reminded me of a bad boy pulling the wings off insects. First of all that's no way to prepare live lobster for cooking. Secondly, I think we intuitively sense a nasty presence in that scene, a man we would not want to have dinner with or meet on line. Lets not displace our feelings on the lobster, lets deal with the undercurrent here of sadism, or whatever it is. Is it a guy thing? I've never seen this done to a lobster, not ever. But as a child therapist I've seen lots of bad boys who like to tease and hurt animals and they grow up mean.
That video was a bit on the sad side. Not something i want to ever see again.
It was. But think of fish flapping in the bottom of a boat. Same thing except without malice like there is in this video. That is what is so disturbing, because there are no boundaries to malice.
LOL madellen, you sum it all up so beautifully!!!
This Hub is hilarious... talking about lobster's rights along with banter about how good they are to eat! :)
In The Doghouse 3 years ago
If the lobster has rights... I am sure the crab and shrimp will be next to follow on the heels of this crustacean...then let us not forget the crayfish as well!