Progress: Four More States Could Ban Octopus Farming
Four more U.S. states have recently introduced legislation to preemptively ban commercial octopus farming in response to the ethical and environmental threats posed by this new form of aquaculture, which has been in development in Spain over the past several years.
Oregon, Hawaii, Connecticut, and New Jersey may soon join California and Washington in outlawing the raising and selling of octopuses for human consumption. If Oregon’s House Bill 2557 passes, it would make octopus farming illegal across the entire West Coast of the United States, a major win for animal welfare and environmental protection.
This push by multiple states to ban these farms before they even begin stems from mounting evidence that Spanish corporation Nueva Pescanova’s plans to build the world’s first commercial octopus farm in the Canary Islands will cause unthinkable suffering for millions of these highly intelligent animals and have severe environmental consequences.
New Jersey’s Senate Bill 3914 includes a compelling explanation of the ethical issues at stake:
“The practice of octopus aquaculture has raised ethical and environmental concerns due to the highly advanced cognitive abilities and complex behaviors exhibited by these animals. Octopus farming practices and conditions, including inadequate living environments and confinement, may subject octopuses to significant stress and suffering, compromise their well-being, and lead to adverse behavioral changes. As carnivores, octopuses require a high-protein diet sourced from wild fish and shellfish, which could substantially increase demand on marine resources, further depleting fish stocks and disrupting marine ecosystems. Additionally, octopus aquaculture poses further risks to marine ecosystems due to the heightened potential for the spread of infectious pathogens, which may impact other marine species and ecosystems.”
Similar legislation in Hawaii is particularly relevant, as the state was previously home to the only octopus farm in the U.S. The Kanaloa Octopus Farm, widely criticized for operating as an octopus petting zoo with illegally acquired animals, thankfully closed in 2023. However, given Hawaii’s history with small-scale octopus farming, passing House Bill 365 and its companion Senate Bill 1159 would be crucial in ensuring this industry does not reestablish itself in the Pacific archipelago.
Connecticut’s General Assembly Bill No. 5900 goes even further, not only outlawing octopus aquaculture but also banning the use of octopuses for entertainment.
While these state-level initiatives are promising, a federal ban would be the most effective way to prevent this cruelty from taking hold anywhere in the U.S. To help make this a reality please consider sending a letter to your Senator urging them to co-sponsor the Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies (OCTOPUS) Act once it is reintroduced in the 119th Congress.