Scientists are expressing deep concerns over the well-being of highly intelligent octopuses in the wake of plans to establish the world’s first Octopus farm. Confidential documents, obtained by a media outlet, have revealed that the proposed farm, situated in Spain’s Canary Islands, aims to rear approximately one million octopuses annually for human consumption.
One of the main points of contention revolves around the proposed method of slaughtering these creatures in icy water, which some scientists deem as cruel. The company spearheading this initiative, Spanish multinational Nueva Pescanova, vehemently denies that the octopuses will endure any form of suffering. The campaign group Eurogroup for Animals has shared the confidential planning proposal documents with the public and the Canary Islands’ General Directorate of Fishing, the entity to which Nueva Pescanova submitted the proposal, has yet to issue a response.
Octopuses are commonly captured in the wild using various methods, including pots, lines, and traps, and are a popular food source in several regions, including the Mediterranean, Asia, and Latin America. Nevertheless, breeding them in captivity has proven to be a formidable challenge, primarily due to the need for live food for the octopus larvae and a meticulously controlled environment. In 2019, Nueva Pescanova claimed to have made a significant scientific breakthrough in this regard.
The proposed intensive farming of octopuses has already sparked opposition, with lawmakers in Washington State, USA, proposing a ban on the practice. Nueva Pescanova’s plans entail housing these usually solitary creatures in communal tanks alongside other octopuses, often subjecting them to continuous light. This would occur within a two-story building featuring approximately 1,000 tanks located at Las Palmas port in Gran Canaria. The octopuses would be euthanized by placing them in containers of water kept at a temperature of -3°C, as detailed in the documents.
Nueva Pescanova intends to produce 3,000 tonnes of octopus annually to cater to premium international markets, including the United States, South Korea, and Japan. According to Compassion in World Farming (CiWF), a campaign group that has scrutinized the plans, this would translate to roughly one million animals, with each cubic meter of tank accommodating 10-15 octopuses.
