California Becomes Second Us State to Ban Octopus Farming

September 30, 2024 | Source: Compassion in World Farming

The California State Senate has taken a monumental step forward in animal welfare by unanimously banning the cruel and unsustainable practice of octopus farming on both land and water.

It also made history by becoming the world’s first government to ban the sale of products from farmed octopuses.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed bill AB-3162 into law on Friday (27th September), making California the second US state to ban the cruel practice of octopus farming after Washington.

International call for legislation

It follows our calls – alongside the Aquatic Animal Alliance, scientists, and millions of citizens across the world – for lawmakers to recognise the cruelty and environmental damage which would result from farming octopuses.

In 2021, we published our report, Octopus Farming: A Recipe for Disaster, uncovering scientific evidence showing that octopus farming would be not just cruel but also environmentally damaging. Later, we joined forces with Eurogroup for Animals to publish Uncovering the Horrific Reality of Octopus Farming and Exposing the Environmental Risks of octopus farming  –  joint responses to Spanish company Nueva Pescanova’s plans to farm one million octopuses annually in an aquatic factory farm on the island of Gran Canaria.

The prohibition of the import of farmed octopus meat is crucial, as a production ban without a sales ban would merely shift the problem elsewhere.