A study from the University of Gothenburg, published in Scientific Reports, found that crayfish subjected to electric shocks attempted to escape by vigorously moving their tails. When the animals were pretreated with painkillers, they did not react as strongly, suggesting a pain-relieving effect.
Several countries, including Norway and New Zealand, have already banned cooking live shellfish. Meanwhile, the fishing industry is exploring methods such as electric stunning before killing - but if done incorrectly, it can cause great suffering.
The researchers tested both aspirin and lidocaine, which produced different side effects but both reduced stress reactions.
