Analysis of the Italian regulatory framework on the welfare of aquatic organisms, with a focus on live crustaceans

Lara Tinacci, Sara Rota Nodari, Alessio Vitali, Gaetano Liuzzo, Ivan Corti and Andrea Armani

Food Policy, 2025, vol. 131, issue C

Abstract: The European Union regulatory framework for the welfare of aquatic organisms (AOW), live seafood (LSW) and live crustaceans intended for human consumption (LCW) is still in its nascent stages. Member States have tackled the subject with different regulatory approach, represented in Italy, by municipal regulations. The present study was designed to provide an overview of the municipal regulations pertaining to AOW, LSW, and LCW issued in Italy to date. A search was conducted on Google from December 2023 to March 2024 using specific keywords. The analysis of the regulations entailed the scrutiny of provisions concerning AOW and LSW during transport, maintenance, display and, additionally, LCW during stunning and slaughter. A total of 771 municipal regulations on animal welfare issued from 2001 to 2023 were collected. A total of 542 provisions concerning AOW were identified, while 234 and 181 provisions also addressed LSW and LCW, respectively. As regards LCW, specific regulations included the prohibition of the claws banding (85.1%), slaughter prior to sale (59.1%), and boiling of live crustaceans (33.1%). Conversely, the obligation to slaughter before sale (12.1%), after stunning (10.5%) and out of sight of the consumer (5%) were reported. The divergent and generally not scientifically-based nature of the regulations suggests limitations of the Italian approach in AOW, LSW and LCW management. In anticipation of the risk assessment-based revision of EU legislation on AOW, the results provide an updated basis for the drafting of national technical guidelines, including species-specific control checklists, for the monitoring of LCW along the entire supply chain.

Keywords: Welfare protection; Welfare legislation; Policies standardization; Food safety; Live organisms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:131:y:2025:i:c:s0306919225000181

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102814

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