Seafood Cruelty

[BreezyCooking]

This was in yesterday's newspaper, & had me nearly falling off my chair. I think the animal cruelty folks are getting a little out of hand. Frankly, I can't see how Whole Foods feels it's more humane for the crabs to be killed, cleaned, & frozen at the processors. It's not like the crabbers are whisking them out of the water & doing the job right then & there. From what I understand they're chilled into a semi-dormant state, then packed & shipped to either processors or stores.

I'm wondering how Whole Foods plans to deal with live clams, mussels, & oysters? They're alive. Why not just shut down the whole seafood department?

SEAFOOD SALES – Alive, Alive. . . No
By Walter Nicholls, The Washington Post, Wednesday, May 17, 2006


Whole Foods Market halted sales of live soft-shell crabs in its stores nationwide last week after receiving complaints of animal cruelty. The company said the move was in keeping with its commitment to the ethical treatment of animals. Whole Foods will still sell cleaned and frozen soft-shells.

In the Washington area, the new policy brought complaints from shoppers who want live crabs. “We know that (soft-shell crabs) are a big deal here,” said Kevin McDade, the company’s seafood coordinator for the mid-Atlantic region. “Some people don’t understand why we are doing this.”

Because soft-shells are best fresh, most seafood markets kill and clean – or dress – them at the fish counter.

For Whole Foods, the sale of other live crustaceans is in question as well. “We’re looking at all live creatures, such as lobster and crayfish,” said Kate Lowery, a corporate spokeswoman. “We want to be as compassionate as we can be.”

 

[Andy M.]

I agree, Breezy.

I guess it's a quality if life issue.

 

[buckytom]

yes, my quality of life is much better when my belly is full of recently departed softshell crabs...

 

[auntdot]

I sorta had to agree with Whole Foods Market, for awhile.

So we tried to be very humane.

We tried to make the departure as easy as we could for those critters, which, on the evolutionary scale, are lower than the cockroach.

We let them have their choice of a last meal.

Then we blindfolded them and gave them a little cigarette.

We tried hanging, but it never seemed to work. Could never figure out where to wrap the noose about.

The gas chamber left an off taste.

The electric chair we constructed was a bit tricky to use, but it did give a nice char that was tasty.

We tried lethal injection, but fell asleep half way through the meal.

Now we just do it the old fashioned way.

Usually just take a heavy chef knife and stab them in the carapace, behind the eyes.

With lobsters there is a little cross shaped indentation we aim for.

It seems to do the critters in quite expeditiously.

Or we toss them into a boiling pot.

We no longer give them the little cigarette; we kinda miss that. It was fun to watch.

And they seemed to enjoy it so much.

Just our experience.

 

[Mark Webster]

Our bodies need to subsist on food. As long as a person does not resort to cannabilism I can't believe that people would protest soft shell crabs. As Breezy pointed out what about shell fish that are still alive when you cook them? As a professional Chef and a world traveler I can't believe how much other people try to force their agenda on everyone else especially when dealing with food issues. I many countries we may be repulsed by what their citizens are eating, but that doesn't give us the right to dictate what they can or can't eat. Washington DC get a life.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Too funny AuntDot!!!

What gets me is that it's not like they're running around in the seafood case trying to escape. Whenever I've purchased them they're stacked on ice in the case along with the other fish, & once in a blue moon you'll see a leg twitch or antenna move. They're in a torpor. The hardshell clams probably move more - lol!! If not in the case, then they're sometimes stacked with seaweed for moisture, in layers in cardboard boxes, also kept on ice, in the back.

Their "quality of life" is no better at the fish counter then it is at the processors. Not to mention that the pre-killed, cleaned, frozen, & thawed ones I've purchased have never been good enough for me to buy them again. I've been disappointed too many times. In fact, some have been downright skanky. The fact remains that soft-shells do not have a long shelf life no matter how they're sold.

 

[auntdot]

Thanks Breezy, could have gone several ways in answering this approach of Whole Foods.

I had to go with the idiotic idea that one can anthropomorphise a lobster or crab.

But to go to your point more directly, totally agree, have only had frozen soft shells twice, and they were lousy.

They, at least to me, are a delicate taste and can only be appreciated fresh.

Gotta start looking for them.

The window is short.

 

[CharlieD]

... Why not just shut down the whole seafood department?

...

I say, why not just shut everybody in PITA department instead, so we can eat our food the way people have been eating it for last million years or so...

 

[buckytom]

p.e.t.a = people for the ethical treatment of animals

p.i.t.a = pigs is tasty animals

 

[Alix]

And here I thought PITA meant Pain In The A--.

 

[CharlieD]

whatever the speling, they are bunch of people with very very twisted mind. They took a very good idea, and twisted to the n-th degree

 

[BreezyCooking]

Another variation on PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals.

 

[Constance]

Look at it this way. Lobsters and crabs have a brain the size of a cockroach. They are not like Crabby of Sponge Bob Squarepants fame. They do not have the ability to think...or get their feelings hurt.

Would you hesitate to step on a cockroach?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

After reading about WFM and it's rediculous slant toward preserving the softshel crab's quality of life (not selling live crustaceans), I did a quick search and found a number of sites showing labor abuse practices for WFM. I thought that maybe I would add my voice of complaint on any forum available through the company's websit. Suprise! There was no link to send a message on the site. But here's a link where you can read about some of their practices. http://michaelbluejay.com/main/wholefoods.html

I find the fact that they place the more value on humane treatment of crustaceans above the humane and fare treatment of their workers. I'm glad that there is not a WFM store near me. I don't think I would shop there if there were.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[CharlieD]

...

Would you hesitate to step on a cockroach?

Shhhh, don't mention it, next thing you know PITA will start lobbying for baning chemicals that kill cockaroaches.

 

[bright]

After reading about WFM and it's rediculous slant toward preserving the softshel crab's quality of life (not selling live crustaceans), I did a quick search and found a number of sites showing labor abuse practices for WFM. I thought that maybe I would add my voice of complaint on any forum available through the company's websit. Suprise! There was no link to send a message on the site. But here's a link where you can read about some of their practices. http://michaelbluejay.com/main/wholefoods.html

I find the fact that they place the more value on humane treatment of crustaceans above the humane and fare treatment of their workers. I'm glad that there is not a WFM store near me. I don't think I would shop there if there were.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Why am I not surprised?

 

[luckytrim]

there are whacko's on both sides of every issue- in most cases, they just deserve to be ignored.... after all, why get your nose out of joint over something that is so obviously whacky?? Life is much too short to go shouting at windmills, so to speak...........

 

[BreezyCooking]

Except that these particular whackos have now successfully removed one of only two possible live soft-shell crab sources in my area. To me, that's a windmill worth shouting at - lol!!!!!

 

[GB]

Except that these particular whackos have now successfully removed one of only two possible live soft-shell crab sources in my area. To me, that's a windmill worth shouting at - lol!!!!!

At least you still have one source. If you and everyone else starts shopping there then maybe WFM might feel it in their bottom line.

 

[luckytrim]

I got my crabs at sweet lucy's house (of crabs!!)