Octopus Farming Plans Abandoned Due to Ethical and Environmental Concerns
Nueva Pescanova, Spain's largest fisheries business, has shelved plans for the world's first industrial octopus farm due to business and regulatory reasons, sparking debate about the ethics and sustainability of octopus farming
The announcement by Nueva Pescanova to abandon its plans for an industrial octopus farm near the Canary Islands has been met with relief from activists and scientists who have been opposing the project due to ethical and environmental concerns. The company had initially predicted that it would be producing 3,000 tonnes of octopus a year by 2025, but it seems that the challenges of farming octopuses have proven to be too great.
Background on Octopus Farming
Octopuses are notoriously difficult to farm due to their complex behavior and specific needs. They are solitary and antisocial animals, and their larvae spend at least 20 days floating in the water before they settle on the sea bed, making it difficult to move on to the next phase. Even then, the hatchlings are so delicate that if anything goes wrong, they die. Additionally, octopuses are very finicky eaters and require a varied diet, which can be challenging to provide in a farming setting.
Ethical Concerns
The ethical objections to octopus farming are centered around the fact that octopuses are highly intelligent and sentient creatures. Many marine biologists believe that octopuses have a mind and are capable of complex behavior, which raises questions about their treatment in farming settings. The idea that octopuses are somehow like us, or at least like some of our pets, has been fueled by documentaries such as My Octopus Teacher, which shows a reciprocal relationship between a human and an octopus.
Impact on the Environment
While octopus farming may not be a viable option at present, the demand for octopus is still high, with about 370,000 tonnes of octopus being caught every year. The principal markets are China and Japan, while Spain consumes about 40,000 tonnes a year. The impact of octopus fishing on the environment is a concern, particularly in light of warming waters globally, which is causing octopuses to move into new territories. The UK, for example, has witnessed the biggest octopus bloom since 1950 over the past two years.
The following table shows the comparison of octopus consumption in different countries:
The potency of the ethical argument against farming octopuses is likely to remain a strong weapon in the armoury of those who oppose it. As Charlotte Reid, a campaigner at Compassion in World Farming, says, 'An octopus is a highly intelligent, naturally solitary wild animal. These are wild animals and they belong in the wild, not these underwater prisons.' While octopuses may be safe from farming for now, the debate about their treatment and the sustainability of octopus fishing is likely to continue.
