A damning new report published today by Compassion in World Farming reveals the devastating environmental and animal welfare impacts of the proposed global expansion of octopus farming, including potential threats to U.S. coastal ecosystems and fishing communities.

The report, "The Growing Threat of Carnivorous Aquaculture," published on World Octopus Day, exposes how the world's first commercial octopus farm, proposed by Spanish company Nueva Pescanova, could consume between 5,333 and 18,667 tons of wild-caught forage fish in its first year alone – equivalent to between 0.2 and 0.7 billion individual fish – while producing only 3,000 tons of octopus meat. By 2040, if octopus farming expands as projected, production could reach 9,713 tons annually, requiring between 17,268 and 90,657 tons of wild forage fish – equivalent to between 0.7 and 3.6 billion fish.

U.S. Marine Ecosystems at Risk

The expansion of carnivorous aquaculture poses direct threats to U.S. marine resources, with American fishing grounds increasingly targeted to supply fishmeal and fish oil for overseas aquaculture operations. The U.S. ranked as the 5th largest global exporter of fishmeal and fish oil in 2020, shipping 135,276 metric tons to feed overseas aquaculture – fish that could otherwise support American food security and coastal livelihoods.

The expansion of carnivorous aquaculture poses direct threats to U.S. marine resources, with American fishing grounds increasingly targeted to supply fishmeal and fish oil for overseas aquaculture operations. The U.S. ranked as the 5th largest global exporter of fishmeal and fish oil in 2020, shipping 135,276 metric tons to feed overseas aquaculture – fish that could otherwise support American food security and coastal livelihoods.
The report finds that by 2040, European carnivorous aquaculture production is projected to increase 30% to 860,450 tons, driving demand for wild-capture forage fish to 2.5 million tons – a 70% increase from 2023 levels. This translates to between 83.3 and 192 billion fish—creating unprecedented pressure on U.S. fishing grounds that supply these operations.

Matthew Dominguez, Executive Director of Compassion in World Farming U.S., said:

The push to expand octopus farming is a direct assault on marine ecosystems that coastal communities have depended on for generations. This industry would pillage our oceans to supply foreign luxury markets, while threatening coastal cities and towns from Maine to California. These communities are already struggling to survive against industrial aquaculture giants that pollute and strip-mine our waters—all to produce an expensive novelty for wealthy consumers overseas.

Cruel and Inhumane Practices Exposed

Accompanying the report's release, CIWF has obtained shocking undercover footage showing the planned slaughter method for farmed octopuses – forcing the animals into icy water where they suffer slow, agonizing deaths lasting at least ten minutes. Marine biologists condemn this method as inhumane, yet no regulations exist to protect octopuses in aquaculture settings.

New Report and Footage Expose Growing Threat of Octopus Farming