To mark World Octopus Day, we’ve released a new report which exposes just how damaging the expansion of carnivorous aquaculture – including the introduction of octopus farms – could be.

Devastating our oceans

If the industry grows as projected, it would come at a significant cost to food security and marine ecosystems. Here’s how:

The world’s first octopus farm could require a massive 28,000 tons of wild-caught fish in its first year for feed – but would produce only 3,000 tons of octopus meat.
This is the equivalent of two billion wild caught fish used for feed in the first year, and it could rise to a staggering seven billion by 2040
These fish would be taken from vital forage fisheries in West Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia, posing a serious threat to food security and livelihoods, as well as marine life.

Cruel slaughter

It would also be a tragedy for animal welfare. Our new undercover footage, revealed today, shows the the cruel slaughter method Nueva Pescanova plans to use in its proposed octopus farm in Gran Canaria, Spain. The footage of wild-caught octopuses shows the animals suffering slow and agonizing deaths by being forcibly submerged in icy water, taking at least ten minutes to die.

 Keep them wild

To stop this damaging industry in its tracks from spreading in the United States, we’re asking policymakers to back the national OCTOPUS Act. This law would ban octopus farming across the country.

We are asking our supporters and the public to contact Congress and urge them to pass the act, which has strong bipartisan support already.

Dr. Elena Lara, our Senior Research and Policy Adviser, said:

Carnivorous aquaculture is often sold as a quick fix for food security; yet in reality, it weakens food security.

Its expansion into octopus farming would raid the plates of coastal communities in the Global South, feeding private profits and premium markets, instead of the people who need it the most. 
 
What’s more, our footage clearly shows what we have always said - that it is simply not possible to slaughter farmed octopuses in a humane way. We must act now to keep octopuses wild, protect our oceans and food security.

‘Growing threat’ of octopus & carnivorous fish farms revealed