California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill banning octopus farming into law, making it the second U.S. state after Washington to prohibit the practice.
The Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act prohibits octopus farming operations throughout the state. It also bans the sale of farmed octopuses in California. The bill received unanimous approval from the state senate and overwhelming support in the state assembly.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund, which cosponsored the bill along with Social Compassion in Legislation, claims the “animals have significant cognitive abilities and can learn new skills, navigate complex mazes, are known escape artists, and even use tools,” making confining them for farming inhumane.
“Bipartisan support to ban commercial octopus farming in California underlines the state’s unified opposition to allowing the exploitive practice of factory farming to expand to another population of vulnerable animals,” Animal Legal Defense Fund Senior Legislative Affairs Manager Jennifer Hauge said. “We are pleased to see the bill signed into law and will continue to advocate for similar statewide and federal legislation to protect these targeted animals.”
While multiple companies have explored commercial octopus farming at scale, the practice has received significant pushback from activists and scientists who believe the practice is inhumane for such an intelligent animal. The Aquatic Animal Alliance has gathered more than 100 groups under its umbrella to call for bans on commercial octopus farming.
“We are so grateful to Governor Newsom for recognizing the need to preemptively stop octopus farming in this state,” said Social Compassion in Legislation Founder and President Judie Mancuso. “By signing this bill, California is taking a stand that will prevent an immeasurable amount of suffering to these magnificent animals and the environmental damage that this industry would create. We hope the rest of the country and the world will follow suit.”
The law will go into effect 1 January.
Similar legislation has been proposed at the national level.
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced the Opposing the Cultivation and Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies (OCTOPUS) Act in July.
“Octopuses are among the most intelligent creatures in the oceans,” Whitehouse said. “And they belong at sea, not suffering on a factory farm. My bipartisan bill with Senator Murkowski would preemptively prevent U.S. companies from participating in this brutal practice before it takes root.”
The OCTOPUS Act would completely ban commercial octopus farming within the U.S. It would also prohibit the import of commercially farmed octopus raised in other countries.
“The OCTOPUS Act proactively protects Alaska’s marine ecosystems and supports wild harvest opportunities for Alaska’s fishermen, and I’m glad to join Senator Whitehouse in this effort,” Murkowski said. “As Alaska fishermen continue to navigate dire circumstances in the global market, I will continue to advocate for the most sustainable, wild-caught fisheries in the world.”