Dec 5

Dec 5 Steamed Crabs Banned in Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved emergency legislation late yesterday evening to immediately ban boiling or steaming crabs alive within the county.

The restrictions come after zoologists' ground-breaking discovery that crabs can feel pain just like any other animal, meaning that being steamed or boiled is likely to be an excruciatingly painful death. The findings were published in the journal Biology last week.

"In Montgomery County, crustaceans are one of the few animals not covered by welfare laws. Decapods [crabs] experience pain so we should treat them as we would treat other animals," said Kate Stewart, Council President.

In a last-minute amendment from Council Vice President Will Jawando, sprinkling Old Bay on live crabs was also banned. "Have you ever rubbed your eyes at a crab feast?" Jawando asked.

Restaurants serving crabs are required to have a Certified Crustacean Euthanist on premises during dining hours and will be subject to quarterly crab cruelty checks by county inspectors.

The new law bans imports of crab and crab products into the county unless certified as humanely killed. The Council also approved regulations on how to compassionately euthanize a crab:

Stun the crab to a torpor by cooling it down in the freezer to 2°C (35°F).
Locate the small hole beneath the tail which sits over the hind nerve center and the shallow depression near the head which is above the front nerve center.
Drive a sharp spike or screwdriver through both points until you hit the other side of the shell, twisting the spike to destroy the central nervous system.
Return the crab to the freezer for 90 minutes to ensure it is humanely euthanized.

Violating Montgomery County's new rules may result in misdemeanor criminal charges, fines up to $25,000 and/or 270 days imprisonment, per crab.