Too Smart to be Farmed: Diving Into the Octopus Industry
By Svea Halberg, Environmental Science ‘25
The common octopus (Octopus vulargis) has a unique defense mechanism. Their skin contains specialized muscle cells that allow them to camouflage into their natural environment by changing the color and texture of their skin (Image credit: Beckmannjan on Wikimedia Commons).
Octopuses are renowned as one of the most complex animals on Earth. The most common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, has about 500 million neurons– rivaling what is found in most dogs. They have demonstrated their intelligence through a number of experiments. The Seattle Aquarium found that their octopuses have a capacity for short and long-term memory, as well as the ability to recognize individual humans. Octopus have also been known to use tools, which is a common indicator of the ability to learn. The culmination of research, observations, and interest group action has resulted in the first legal action toward protecting these creatures.
On September 27, 2024, Gavin Newson signed the bipartisan Oppose Cruelty to Octopus (OCTO) Act, which bans octopus farming and the sale of farmed octopus in California. Seven months earlier, the previous governor of Washington state, Jay Inslee, signed a bill with the same objective. Both pieces of legislation sought to protect these highly intelligent creatures. The OCTO Act also describes how octopuses are solitary creatures that can become aggressive toward each other when kept in confinement. Interestingly, only one octopus farm has operated in the United States, and it was permanently closed in 2023. However, plans for the world’s first large-scale octopus farm are brewing from overseas.
The Spanish seafood company Nueva Pescanova intends to build a 567,000 square foot facility in the Canary Islands, with the goal of captive breeding octopuses for commercial sale. The company is still waiting on permits and other approvals for the facility. Many activist groups and scientists argue that octopuses are too intelligent to be subjected to farming and that a large octopus farming facility is unsustainable. One concern is that octopuses are predators and need to feed on other animals. Ben Williamson, U.S. Director of Compassion in World Farming, estimates “it would take at least three pounds of wild-caught fish to produce one pound of farmed octopus.” However, Nueva Pescanova argues that their plans align with sustainable aquaculture development guidelines outlined in the 2022 State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture Report.
Waste management is another significant challenge to operating a farm of this size. Currently, Nueva Pescanova is navigating the permitting process required to discharge waste into the Atlantic Ocean. The company is also discussing the facility with the Canary Islands government, who are "demanding a more comprehensive impact assessment" about possible environmental impacts. The Compassion in World Farming, an animal welfare charity, argues that the facility could be dangerous for the surrounding ocean ecosystem because discharged waste can carry disease or unwanted organisms that could harm local populations of octopuses and other marine life. Nueva Pescanova has responded by stating that the water entering and leaving the facility will be filtered, but they have not elaborated on what filtering techniques will be used.
Despite these concerns, Nueva Pescanova is still fighting for approval from the Canary Islands government. Some argue that this facility is needed to fulfill the growing demand for octopus meat, and would ultimately reduce harvesting pressure on wild populations. However, many opponents concur with Sy Montgomery – author of the bestselling book The Soul of an Octopus – when he says “let's leave the octopuses in the ocean.” The fate of octopus farming is still unclear, but activists around the world are still fighting for these clever creatures.