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US Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island, democrat) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska, republican), founders and co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus, have introduced the ‘Opposing the Cultivation and Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies’ (OCTOPUS) Act.
If approved, the bipartisan legislation would ban commercial octopus farming in the US and prohibit imports of farmed octopus from foreign countries.
Senator Whitehouse said: “Octopuses are among the most intelligent creatures in the oceans. And they belong at sea, not suffering on a factory farm. My bipartisan bill with Senator Murkowski would preemptively prevent US companies from participating in this brutal practice before it takes root."
Octopuses can learn to solve puzzles, use tools and remember and learn from prior experiences. According to the senators, a recent review of over 300 scientific studies found strong evidence of sentience in octopuses, meaning that they are likely capable of having feelings such as pain, pleasure, distress and excitement.
Scientists have concluded that humane commercial farming of octopuses is currently impossible, due to their solitary nature and need for cognitive stimulation. Octopuses are not currently farmed for human consumption at a commercial scale, but Spanish multinational Nueva Pescanova has submitted planning proposal documents for a commercial farm in Spain.
The senators’ bipartisan OCTOPUS Act would prohibit commercial octopus aquaculture operations in the US and ban the import of commercially farmed octopus (or products containing commercially farmed octopus), imposing fines for violations. The act would also require importers to certify that they are not importing farmed octopus and require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to collect data on octopus harvest methods in trade programmes under its jurisdiction.
The bill is endorsed by 21 organisations including the Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and the Aquatic Life Institute.
Animal Legal Defense Fund legislative affairs manager, Allison Ludtke, commented: “Scientists have proven octopuses are complex, intelligent creatures who can feel a full range of emotions. Instead of exploiting them, we must protect this dynamic species who suffer terribly in confined settings.”
Jennifer Jacquet, professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami, added: “The OCTOPUS Act shows admirable foresight and leadership in protecting a group of animals from mass production. Octopuses are carnivores and therefore commercial farming would require catching animals for their feed and be unsustainable, but they are also highly intelligent, curious and active and will not lead good lives in factory farms.”
You can read more about Nueva Pescanova’s plans to build the world's first octopus farm in the Canary Islands, here.
You can find out more about the challenges posed by octopus farming, here, in an op-ed written by Elena Lara, senior research and public affairs advisor (aquatic animals) at Compassion in World Farming.
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