Species Unite Submits 50,000 Petition Signatures to Protest Octopus Factory Farms
Tens of thousands of people have united to speak out against plans for the world's first commercial octopus farm.
More than 50,000 Species Unite supporters have signed a petition calling on the European Union and Spanish government to ban octopus farming.
Led by animal rights media organization Species Unite, the petition was launched in response to plans by multi-million-dollar Spanish Corporation Nueva Pescanova to open a commercial octopus farm in the Canary Islands. When at full capacity, the facility plans to slaughter one million captive octopuses for human consumption every year.
"Octopus factory farming is a grave threat to these intelligent, sentient creatures and Nueva Pescanova's plans are a recipe for cruelty, stress, and an agonizing death,” said Elizabeth Novogratz, Executive Director of Species Unite. "Today marks a significant milestone as we submit our petition to ban octopus farming, signed by an astounding 50,000 united supporters.
“This overwhelming response reflects the international movement against these farms. If the European Union and Spanish Government care about their reputation for animal welfare, they will protect these remarkable animals, not allow corporations to exploit them for profit,” she added.
The petition raised urgent concerns about the ethics of farming an animal that has never successfully been bred and raised in captivity due to complexities surrounding their diet, health, and anatomy.
Octopus sentience is not yet formally recognized in the EU, which means that the animals farmed by Nueva Pescanova will have no legal protections to ensure their welfare.
As solitary, territorial creatures there is concern they will become aggressive and cannibalistic in close confinement captivity. Due to their anatomy, they are also vulnerable to injury as they do not have skeletons to protect them. Nueva Pescanova estimates in its own documentation that there will be a mortality rate of 10-15 percent caused by the farming conditions.
Leaked documents have also exposed Nueva Pescanova's plans to use ice slurry tanks to slaughter the octopuses. This method involves submerging the cephalopods in “baths of ice flakes and water that would gradually drop to -3C,” to slowly freeze the animals to death.
The company’s representatives have described this method of killing as “superior to clubbing the animals over the head, and [considering] the many unknowns regarding how to stun octopuses with electricity.”
International Opposition
Global outrage in response to octopus factory farming has soared over the past three years, with scientists, conservationists, politicians, and animal advocates voicing their alarm and opposition to the controversial new plant.
It is feared that Nueva Pescanova’s upcoming commercial octopus farm could also spell a wave of similar facilities opening and mark the start of the mass farming of these animals.
In efforts to counter this, lawmakers in Washington State have introduced a bill seeking to outlaw octopus farms, while the United Kingdom has acknowledged octopuses' sentience through amendments to its Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, aligning with recent scientific research.
Canada has also witnessed the emergence of a governmental petition advocating for a ban on octopus farming, further intensifying calls for their protection In Hawaii, authorities have taken action by shutting down the Kanaloa octopus farm, a facility that had confined wild-caught octopuses in cramped tanks for breeding experiments, shedding light on inhumane practices within the octopus aquaculture industry.
Environmental Impact
Nueva Pescanova's claim that octopus farming will alleviate the strain on wild octopus fishing has faced criticism from experts who argue that there's no evidence to suggest fishermen will stop hunting octopus.
Furthermore, scientists have expressed concern regarding the sustainability of supplying enough fish to feed farmed octopuses, with depleting global stocks already in danger.
“Octopus farming would increase, not alleviate, pressure on wild aquatic animals,” wrote Jennifer Jacquet, professor of environmental studies at New York University and lead author of a report into octopus trade by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
“Given the depleted state of global fisheries and the challenges of providing adequate nutrition to a growing human population, increased farming of carnivorous species such as octopus will act counter to the goal of improving global food security,” she added.
Species Unite's petition echoes these concerns: “This new form of animal cruelty will likely only make things worse for wild fish populations as octopuses only eat live food and can consume 1-2% of their body weight a day in fish and other sea creatures,” reads the petition. “This new industry could also put human consumers at risk as aquatic animals raised in captivity are more likely to contract transmissible diseases.”
Next Steps
The exact opening date of Nueva Pescanova's octopus factory farm has not been released, but the company is reportedly aiming for approval of its facility at the port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria by the end of 2023. If and when it is approved, the farm will begin the construction phase, which will likely take around two years.
“We are at a crucial point in the fight against octopus farming,” said Novogratz. “We must stop this new form of mechanized animal cruelty before plans are officially approved. I urge everyone to continue speaking out - before it’s too late.”
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