Social Isolation and Stress

Octopuses are seclusive creatures. They do not mingle much with each other, and you would generally find them alone in their wild habitat. Born to be solitary beings, even when it comes to mating, the males and females have fleeting physical relationships with one another.

If forced to live in cramped farming conditions, they would become so aggressive and stressed that many of them would begin self-mutilating or attacking each other for cannibalization. When they are together in closed-off spaces, octopuses slump into sadness and refuse feeding or try to run away.

Environmental Impact

It would be an environmental disaster to farm octopuses. Octopuses are carnivores and need a diet of very high-quality protein. In the wild, octopuses feed on a lot of wild fish. Farmed octopuses would be fed fishmeal and fish oil, which are highly unsustainable.

In addition, the waste resulting from large-scale aquaculture could pollute and destroy habitats, endangering more species in underwater communities.

In May, new threats of the world's first proposed octopus factory farm by Spanish seafood company Nueva Pescanova were revealed, showing that the company failed to consider multiple significant threats to wildlife and the environment, as well as public health.

Animal Welfare Considerations

Octopus farming would be unethical. They can feel pain and even experience pleasure, being capable, of course, of suffering. Limiting their worlds to tiny tanks and not allowing them the freedom they need to roam, hunt, or mate is cruel by any standards. We have recognized the need to protect dolphins, whales, and other mammals from life in captivity—octopuses should be afforded that same salvation.

At Nueva Pescanova's proposed farm, octopuses would be cruelly killed by ice slurry without pre-stunning - an inhumane method that causes pain, fear and suffering.

Ongoing Opposition to Octopus Farming

Compassion in World Farming along with concerned scientists, environmentalists, and other animal welfare groups have been demanding bans on octopus farming before it starts in Spain and all around the globe.

In 2023, the only octopus farm in the U.S. was shut down in Hawaii after a year of campaigning by CIWF.

CIWF has been campaigning against Nueva Pescanova's proposed farm since plans were first revealed in 2023, with recent reports by CIWF and Eurogroup for Animals highlighting even further the devastation the farm would inflict.

Several bills in the U.S. are being considered to ban octopus farming, with one state that has already passed a ban; Washington.