Djurens Rätt launches a new campaign against the world's first octopus factory farm

Djurens Rätt has previously talked about how the company Nueva Pescanova is about to open the world's first commercial octopus factory farm in Gran Canaria, Spain. Octopus farming involves raising common octopuses in captivity for the commercial sale of their meat. This factory would result in one million octopuses being killed for their meat each year. And since octopuses are carnivores their feed, according to the company, would consist of fishmeal and fish oil as main ingredients. Which in return would contribute to the unsustainable overfishing of the oceans. The breeding of different types of cephalopods is planned in other parts of the world including Mexico and Japan. Djurens Rätt is therefore launching a campaign to stop the construction of the octopus factory farm.

The planning of the world’s first industrial octopus factory farm has raised strong ethical and environmental concerns and received public backlash globally. Invertebrate animals such as the common octopus are not currently covered by the EU restrictions governing animal husbandry. Octopuses are animals with charismatic and curious personalities, complex behaviors and needs, and have also been shown to be highly intelligent. They are also solitary animals and a life in captivity with other octopuses can lead to aggressive territorial behavior and cannibalism.

– There is enough evidence showing that octopuses can experience distress and pain, which this type of factory would entail. It would also mean devastating consequences for the environment and other animal species if the octopus factory farm becomes a reality. It's time to put a stop to this establishment, says Camilla Bergvall, President of Djurens Rätt.

The life of an octopus inside the factory 

● Exposed to round-the-clock unnatural light to increase reproduction, will create stress as octopuses do not thrive in the light.
● Confined in crowded pools with other octopuses, can lead to aggressive territorial claims and cannibalistic behavior as it is naturally a solitary animal.
● Feed consisting of fishmeal and fish oil as main ingredients, will contribute to the unsustainable overfishing of the oceans.
● Slaughter by ice baths, is scientifically proven to cause a painful, fearful, and prolonged death.

Through this new campaign, Djurens Rätt calls on the Swedish authorities and the European Commission to ban the breeding of octopus around the EU, this to stop and prevent the extensive suffering an industry like this would cause.