The Crayfish is a sentient creature and just like us carry their young for nine months and they can live to be more than 100 years old. In 2005 crustaceans were declared sentient creatures. It is usual in restaurants to cut in half or boil the crayfish alive. According to invertebrate zoologist Karen G Horsley, "the lobster does not have an autonomic nervous system that puts it in a state of shock when it is harmed. It probably feels itself being cut...I think the lobster is in a great deal of pain from being cut open...(and) feels all the pain until its nervous system is destroyed" during cooking. www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/fish/lobsters-crabs/

Crayfish are not being made insensible before slaughter at The Chinese Dragon Boat Restaurant.

Minimum standard No 22-Crabs, Rock Lobsters (Crayfish) and Freshwater Crayfish (Koura) Commercial Slaughter Code of Welfare 15 Dec 2016 from The Ministry of Primary Industries' Code of Welfare says that crayfish, "be otherwise insensible before they are killed."

The electrical Stunner called the Crustastun would meet the recommended method for slaughter. Mr Buckhaven says "These creatures are sentient beings who clearly feel pain and distress and they should not be boiled alive or cut in half."

The machine can knock a large crustacean unconscious in less that 0.3 seconds and kills it in five to ten seconds. Crabs take four to five minutes to die in boiling water, while lobsters take three minutes.

In the case of The Chinese Dragon Boat Restaurant I do not believe the Minimum Standard Paragraph 6.2 is being met.

I recommend also that MPI review the criteria for the methods of making crayfish insensible before slaughter as set out in paragraph 6.2. in particular, "be otherwise insensible before they are killed."And "have been chilled to 4 degrees or less." 

Please join me in helping crustaceans who are an ancient animal who has been around for millions of years. Crayfish do not need to suffer these agonies.

I recommend that the Crustastun be the only recommended method of slaughter.