SUCCESSES TO DATE

140

organizations and academics sign a letter to the government of the Canary Islands warning about the environmental risks of the Nueva Pescanova octopus farm

34

news publications mention Aquatic Life Institute’s and Aquatic Animal Alliance’s call to end octopus farming

2

events hosted by Aquatic Life Institute, featuring renowned experts, on research behind advocacy efforts against octopus farming, and why we must establish legal measures to protect octopuses

  • Octopus farming is unethical.
    As an invertebrate with the most advanced brain, the octopus is the poster child for aquatic animal sentience and intelligence. The octopus has long-term memory, capable of retaining information and recognizing individual people. The octopus carries out extensive foraging trips, and uses landmarks to navigate the course. To raise them in captive breeding environments with no cognitive stimulation, and denying them freedom to carry out natural behaviours, is morally misguided.

  • Octopus farming will have major environmental consequences.
    Octopuses are carnivores, requiring aquatic animal protein in their diets, thus farming them will further deplete fish stocks. An octopus’ food conversion ratio is approximately 3:1, so the weight of feed to sustain an octopus is around 3 times its weight. Nitrogen and phosphorus waste will be a product of the octopus farms, as will contamination from fertilizers, algaecides, herbicides, and disinfectants. It is also possible that diseases will spread from the farms to the wild environment, and aquatic animals living in those environments.

  • Become an advocate for these extraordinary animals.
    We can’t do it alone. We need your support to #BanOctopusFarming. Take action now.

Octopus farming is an industry which will involve the breeding and rearing of octopuses in captive environments for the commercial sale of their meat. Octopus farming is raising major ethical and environmental concerns, and is receiving public backlash from across the globe. Octopuses are truly extraordinary aquatic animals, with charismatic and curious personalities, incredibly complex anatomies and are proven to be highly intelligent. They are also sentient, solitary, and fragile animals, thus we have the moral imperative to treat them with high regard.

3 SIMPLE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THIS CAMPAIGN

  • Pursue a legislative ban on octopus farming in multiple countries

  • Ensure farms are not permitted to begin operations

  • Work with retailers to ban the procurement of farmed octopus

  • Collaborate with certifiers on banning octopus farming as a certifiable practice

OUR TOP PRIORITIES

TAKE ACTION

How to take action if you are a:

MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Share our campaign on social media using our social media kit.

Submit your article, artwork, or other creative piece via our submission form, for a chance to be featured on our website!

View our submissions

Get involved in the In Defense of Animals action alert.

POLICY LEADER

Join the Aquatic Animal Policy (AAP) Focus Group to engage in policy initiatives on this issue. Visit policy.fish.

Introduce legislation in your jurisdiction against the farming of octopuses.

CORPORATION

Put in place a clear procurement policy banning the purchase of farmed octopus.

RESOURCES

IN THE MEDIA