Lobster Liberation Front
Encyclopedia
The Lobster Liberation Front (LLF) is an animal rights
campaign which first appeared on the coasts of Dorset
in 2004, later spreading to Wales
, Scotland
, and some Europe
an countries. Their methods include releasing lobsters in live storage and sabotaging
lobster pots
or fishing
boats.
model as the Animal Liberation Front
(ALF) and Earth Liberation Front
(ELF), which consists of small, autonomous, covert cells acting independently. A cell may consist of just one person.
The LLF consider boiling lobster
s alive (the traditional method for cooking them) unacceptable and use direct action to prevent it. As lobsters possess a rudimentary nervous system
, the LLF believe they feel pain
and thus boiling them is unnecessarily cruel. This was challenged by a Norwegian study released in 2005, which suggested that lobsters cannot feel pain due to their diminished nervous capacity. A 2007 British study contradicted that conclusion, suggesting that crustacean
s do feel pain, and that pain responses are crucial to any organism's survival.
, Dorset
was targeted when the individuals twice wrecked a fisherman's boat and set lobsters free. The actions were reported to the Southern Animal Rights Coalition
, sent anonymously by the LLF. Shortly following this action, one thousand pounds worth of damage was made in June when it was presumed activists targeted a fisherman's potts in Cardigan
and in Crymych
, Wales
.
magazine from the LLF, claiming the liberation of lobsters and sabotaging of fishing property in Italy
and Sweden
in 2005 as well as Turkey. A year later there was also a large number of fisherman's pots damaged in Stranraer
, Scotland
, with graffiti left at the scene indicating the group had carried out the attacks.
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
campaign which first appeared on the coasts of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
in 2004, later spreading to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and some Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries. Their methods include releasing lobsters in live storage and sabotaging
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
lobster pots
Lobster trap
Not to be confused with Lobster-tailed potA lobster trap or lobster pot is a portable trap that traps lobsters or crayfish and is used in lobster fishing. A lobster trap can hold several lobsters. Lobster traps are constructed of wire and wood. An opening permits the lobster to enter a tunnel of...
or fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
boats.
Philosophy
The group uses the same leaderless-resistanceLeaderless resistance
Leaderless resistance, or phantom cell structure, is a political resistance strategy in which small, independent groups , including individuals , challenge an established adversary such as a government. Leaderless resistance can encompass anything from non-violent disruption and civil disobedience...
model as the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF) and Earth Liberation Front
Earth Liberation Front
The Earth Liberation Front , also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the environment".The ELF was founded...
(ELF), which consists of small, autonomous, covert cells acting independently. A cell may consist of just one person.
The LLF consider boiling lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
s alive (the traditional method for cooking them) unacceptable and use direct action to prevent it. As lobsters possess a rudimentary nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
, the LLF believe they feel pain
Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
and thus boiling them is unnecessarily cruel. This was challenged by a Norwegian study released in 2005, which suggested that lobsters cannot feel pain due to their diminished nervous capacity. A 2007 British study contradicted that conclusion, suggesting that crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s do feel pain, and that pain responses are crucial to any organism's survival.
2004
In March, the village of Worth MatraversWorth Matravers
Worth Matravers is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. The village is situated on the cliffs west of Swanage. It comprises limestone cottages and farm houses and is built around a pond, which is a regular feature on postcards of the Isle of Purbeck.The civil parish stretches...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
was targeted when the individuals twice wrecked a fisherman's boat and set lobsters free. The actions were reported to the Southern Animal Rights Coalition
Southern Animal Rights Coalition
The Southern Animal Rights Coalition is an umbrella organisation for groups campaigning against animal abuse in southern England. SARC campaign on a variety of issues, one being focusing on pets. They also campaign against animal testing, furs, wild boar farms and more recently foie gras and...
, sent anonymously by the LLF. Shortly following this action, one thousand pounds worth of damage was made in June when it was presumed activists targeted a fisherman's potts in Cardigan
Cardigan, Ceredigion
Cardigan is a town in the county of Ceredigion in Mid Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Teifi at the point where Ceredigion meets Pembrokeshire. It was the county town of the pre-1974 county of Cardiganshire. It is the second largest town in Ceredigion. The town's population was 4,203...
and in Crymych
Crymych
Crymych is a small village of around 400 inhabitants in the north of Pembrokeshire, Wales. The village developed around the former Crymmych Arms railway station on the now closed line, nicknamed the Cardi Bach , which ran from Whitland to Cardigan.Other than the Crymych Arms public house, which...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
2005
Actions were then reported to Bite BackBite Back
Bite Back is a Malaysia-registered website and magazine that promotes the cause of the animal liberation movement, and specifically the Animal Liberation Front...
magazine from the LLF, claiming the liberation of lobsters and sabotaging of fishing property in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 2005 as well as Turkey. A year later there was also a large number of fisherman's pots damaged in Stranraer
Stranraer
Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, with graffiti left at the scene indicating the group had carried out the attacks.
External links
- "Post by the LLF" on SARC's website
- Lobster Liberation Page
- Bite Back Magazine
- Should Killing Lobsters In Boiling Water Be Outlawed? - video by The Huffington Post