The world's first octopus farm - should it go ahead? (2023)

FAQs

What is the octopus farm controversy? ›

Nueva Pescanova's reply comes after more than 760,000 names were added to a petition calling for a global ban of octopus farming. Signatories argued against killing methods and said rearing normally solitary octopuses together in large tanks would be “torture on an industrial scale”.

An article published in 2019 in Issues in Science and Technology concluded: “Farming octopus is counterproductive from a perspective of environmental sustainability and misguided from a perspective of humane food production.” Yet many forms of aquaculture have been on the rise.

Researchers have suggested that, as particularly intelligent and playful creatures, octopuses are unsuited to a life in captivity and mass-production. Animal rights activists argue that farming octopuses will, based on this evidence, induce needless suffering on an unprecedented scale.

A plan to build the world's first octopus farm has raised deep concerns among scientists over the welfare of the famously intelligent creatures. The farm in Spain's Canary Islands would raise about a million octopuses annually for food, according to confidential documents seen by the BBC.

Octopus aquaculture describes the captive-raising of octopuses and commercial sale of their meat. A complex and labor-intensive form of farming, octopus aquaculture is being driven by strong market demand in the Mediterranean and in South American and Asian countries.

The firm argues that farming octopus will reduce fishing methods such as sea-bed trawling, for example, and ensure a supply of "marine-based food" while also "relieving pressure on wild fishing grounds".

The owner of a controversial octopus “farm” on Hawaii's Big Island was ordered to “cease and desist” nonpermitted operations in January after a clamor over the small outfit, which charges visitors $60 for the opportunity to touch a wild-caught day octopus.

Octopus farming will further deplete fish species

For every 3kg of octopus killed, 9kg of fish must also be killed to feed them, making it an unsustainable practice. An octopus farm will further add to the fishing crisis the world faces and will continue to drain our oceans of fish.

Placing an octopus in an enclosed fish farm would results in more octopus deaths, increased aggression (as octopus are generally solitary creatures), and pave the way for widespread infection and disease.

"One study revealed that octopuses in small tanks outfitted with flowerpots, stones, beads and shells still showed signs of distress and even self-mutilation. Your average fish tank setup probably isn't going to cut it." Octopuses are not bred for captivity or companionship.

What are the disadvantages of octopus? ›

Octopus is high in sodium, so be sure to eat it in moderation if you're watching your intake. Some people have an intolerance to the proteins in seafood. If you have an allergy to types of shellfish — like oysters, scallops, or shrimp — you should also avoid octopus.

Countries that eat the most octopus are Korea, Japan and Mediterranean countries where they are considered a delicacy. As the demand for eating octopus increases, including in North America, it's been called an ethical and environmental disaster with a whole new set of controversial issues.

Lobsters, crabs, and octopuses can feel pain and should not be cooked alive, says new report.

Octopus is an incredibly nutritious lean source of protein. The seafood is low in calories and fat, yet it's full of vitamins B6 and B12, selenium, copper, iron, zinc, and more.

Octopus growth rates are relatively high and they also have a short life cycle, making them suitable for commercial aquaculture. The major producer of Octopus are; China and Japan.

The United Kingdom has confirmed what everybody who ugly cried during "My Octopus Teacher" already knew: Octopuses are sentient — capable, that is, of perceiving things like pain and pleasure.

Octopuses use several different strategies to evade predators—they camouflage themselves by quickly changing their skin color, they make colorful displays or eject ink to startle or confuse potential predators, they squeeze into small crevices to escape, and they quickly propel themselves through water.

Squid and octopus populations are booming around the world.

Scientists have spent decades attempting to farm squid – a method long considered particularly challenging due to the animal's behaviour – but have had little success, according to OIST. The creatures are known to be aggressive and sensitive to water flow, and have particular food preferences and a complex lifecycle.

Octopuses are in trouble

Like all marine life, they are seriously threatened by pollution, loss of habitat and over-fishing. The decline of octopuses also threatens the sharks, birds, whales, dolphins and fish that eat them. The marine food web is deeply interconnected, so protecting every species counts.

How sustainable is octopus? ›

Some inshore octopus fisheries are sustainable and have a moderate impact on the environment, but most octopus fisheries, especially those offshore, exploit already low stocks, harm habitat and have high bycatch.

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2) Octopuses have three hearts. Two of the hearts work exclusively to move blood beyond the animal's gills, while the third keeps circulation flowing for the organs.

Hawaiian octopuses are none-the-less, a very popular food item and are sought after by local fishermen who catch them by hand or using spears. Early Hawaiians also relished octopus and captured them either by spearing or by using lures made of a large cowry shell lashed onto a hook.

Though the land takeover hasn't quite happened yet, cephalopods -- you may know them better as squid, octopus and cuttlefish, among others -- are taking over oceans. Since the 1950s, of the 35 species studied, most have seen a population boom, according to a new report in Current Biology.

Overfishing in Hawaii has become a problem because of the shortage of ahi or yellowfin tuna. There's been a shortage of ahi because of overfishing. Overfishing causes more problems than benefits.

Many people think calamari dishes are made from octopus, when in fact calamari is actually made from a type of squid.

A science-based report from the University of British Columbia to the Canadian Federal Government has been quoted as stating "The cephalopods, including octopus and squid, have a remarkably well developed nervous system and may well be capable of experiencing pain and suffering."

Octopuses are playful, resourceful, and inquisitive. Some species cuddle with one another, while others have been known to bond with humans. They are among the most highly evolved invertebrates and are considered by many biologists to be the most intelligent.

Conservation and Management. The current biggest threat to the Giant Pacific Octopus is a byproduct of overfishing.

How intelligent is octopus? ›

Octopuses have demonstrated intelligence in a number of ways, says Jon. 'In experiments they've solved mazes and completed tricky tasks to get food rewards. They're also adept at getting themselves in and out of containers.' There are also intriguing anecdotes about octopuses' abilities and mischievous behaviour.

These impacts include nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from waste; contamination from fertilizers, algaecides, herbicides, and disinfectants; and the spread of diseases to wild marine creatures.

Octopuses deliver venomous bites with their sharp beaks. Octopuses do not have teeth, yet they bite. Yes, you read that right. In place of teeth, these sea creatures have very sharp beaks that are capable of delivering venomous bites and breaking open clams and lobster shells.

It's just as painful as if it were a hog, a fish, or a rabbit, if you chopped a rabbit's leg off piece by piece. So it's a barbaric thing to do to the animal. My thought is that if you had a whole octopus and tried to eat it, it would be a completely repellant situation because the octopus would try to climb out.

Yanagidako is a cleaned and fully cooked octopus and is entirely edible. The tentacles can be sliced thin and are quite tender and tasty. The skin has a pleasing red color while the meat is a creamy white. Sliced or diced yanagidako can be easily added to salads, ceviche, soups, and sushi preparations.

It varies according to species, but octopuses, both wild and captive, live roughly 1 to 5 years. This short lifespan is a consequence of a reproductive strategy known as semelparity, meaning that octopuses breed only once in their lifetime and die shortly thereafter.

Octopus can be eaten raw (alive, even, assuming you don't find that inherently cruel), and it can also be prepared using quick-cooking methods like sautéing, though it's riskier to do that than with, say, squid, a related animal that starts out much more tender. Anatomically, an octopus is intimidating.

1. Chicken. Environmental Working Group (EWG), researchers found chicken is the most sustainable choice out of all the different types of meat. "Certified Humane" or "Animal Welfare Approved" logo to ensure the animals are receiving the best possible care and treatment.

Live octopus is a delicacy in some parts of the world, including South Korea and Japan. But if it isn't prepared properly, it could kill you. A nutritionist told INSIDER it's not recommended because the suckers make octopus a choking hazard.

What does eating octopus taste like? ›

The meat is very white with a nice, firm texture. If prepared correctly, it is not tough or chewy, but actually quite tender. To me, they taste kind of “scallopy” and “crabby” at the same time, and can be served in cold dishes as well as hot preparations.

How do you kill an animal like an octopus? Current studies on wild-caught octopus slaughter mention a variety of brutal methods, including clubbing their heads, slicing their brains, asphyxiation in a net, and chilling in ice.

A favorite dish for generations of Koreans, octopus heads have long been associated with good nutrition, not to mention their reputed qualities as an aphrodisiac.

Octopus is rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, making it an ideal choice for your seafood palette. Specifically, a serving of octopus is high in vitamin B12, potassium, iron, magnesium, and certain fatty acids.

Possible benefits of the octopus

Phosphorus and calcium are important for healthy bones and teeth; Potassium helps maintain normal blood pressure and can reduce the risk of recurrent kidney stones and bone loss during aging.

The Environmental Defense Fund also list octopus as having a 'moderate' amount of mercury (source: EDF). Given these two sources, and in the absence of any scientific tests, octopus can be presumed to be in the low to moderate mercury category. Therefore it can be eaten safely by pregnant women.

Giant Pacific octopus: 3 – 5 years

Octopus / Lifespan

The giant Pacific octopus, also known as the North Pacific giant octopus, is a large marine cephalopod belonging to the genus Enteroctopus. Its spatial distribution includes the coastal North Pacific, along Mexico, The United States, Canada, Russia, Eastern China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula.

Wikipedia

Seals, sea otters, sharks, and large fish are the predominant predators of the giant Pacific octopus.

Are Octopuses Farmed for Food? To date, the majority of octopuses used for food are wild-captured. In 2020, the global catch totaled over 377,000 tons. While these creatures are not yet farmed especially for food, a number of companies and producers want to change that.

Among professional aquarists, octopuses have a reputation as highly individualistic animals that require frequent mental stimulation, often enjoy physical contact, and strongly prefer some humans over others, squirting water at one person playfully, while soaking another in what seems like a rebuke.

Can octopus feel emotions? ›

Invertebrates such as octopuses may experience other emotions such as curiosity in exploration, affection for individuals, or excitement in anticipation of a future reward."

Non-sentient animals would then include sponges, corals, anemones, and hydras. Again, as in the case of plants, these animals may react to external stimuli, and even engage in locomotion.

The ink from cephalopods is not toxic, contrary to popular belief. However, squids and octopuses do have venom glands completely unrelated and separate from the ink sacs. For more information about octopus ink, watch the video below!

When scared, octopuses will shoot a dark liquid, sometimes called ink, at the thing that scared them. This will temporarily blind and confuse a potential attacker, giving the octopus time to swim away.

The third, or systemic heart, pumps the oxygenated blood around the body, fueling up the eight tentacles for whatever they and their suckers plan to do. Octopuses are quite active as cephalopods, and it's thought that the three hearts are necessary to maintain their power.

The supply of octopus has been constrained by overfishing in many key fisheries and proponents of farming suggest human-induced culturing could help restock natural populations.

Compared to other species, octopuses actually evolve really, really slowly. There are about 300 different species of octopus, which have been around for at least 300 million years.

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Fish species are already on the brink of collapse from massive overfishing and any octopus farm will further deplete fish communities living in the oceans. For every 3kg of octopus killed, 9kg of fish must also be killed to feed them, making it an unsustainable practice.

The firm argues that farming octopus will reduce fishing methods such as sea-bed trawling, for example, and ensure a supply of "marine-based food" while also "relieving pressure on wild fishing grounds".

Why not to buy farm raised seafood? ›

Additionally, farm-raised fish tend to have a higher instance of disease due to farming conditions. It is important to note that mercury can be found in both farm-raised and wild-caught seafood due to industrial pollution that finds its way into lakes, rivers and oceans. Large predatory fish have the most mercury.

Octopus farming is cruel and immoral and this barbaric practice is condemned by both animal rights activists and many scientists. In addition to being extremely smart, octopus require stimulating and lively environments that are not found on factory farms.

And it's not only squids, but cephalopods as a whole - which also includes octopus and cuttlefish - that has increased in the last 60 years. This in time when marine populations have been declining due to climate change and pollution.

Studies show that octopus populations have been decreasing due to overfishing and the destruction of their habitats as well.

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The hagfish ranks highly among the animals that have multiple hearts in terms of its sheer bizarreness. An eel-shaped, slimy fish, the hagfish is the only known extant animal to possess a skull but no vertebral column. Its strange, alienlike appearance likely contributed to its less-than-flattering name.

But their circulatory system is just as unusual. The octopus has multiple hearts, and that fact can reveal secrets about its evolutionary history while also informing our understanding of how they manipulate their environments. Here are all the facts you need to know about octopus hearts.

In The Boys season 3, episode 7, The Deep took things a step further by asking his wife Cassandra to engage in a threesome with Ambrosia the octopus. The Deep believed the threesome could make their stale and seemingly non-existent sex life better, but it only turned Cassandra off.

What is the octopus story about? ›

The Octopus examines the struggle of California wheat farmers in the San Joaquin valley against the powerful Pacific and Southwestern Railroad monopoly. Norris employed the technique of literary naturalism in the novel to dramatize the issues of environmental determinism and social justice.

Octopus farming is cruel and immoral and this barbaric practice is condemned by both animal rights activists and many scientists. In addition to being extremely smart, octopus require stimulating and lively environments that are not found on factory farms.

Paul the Octopus (26 January 2008 – 26 October 2010) was a common octopus who predicted the results of international association football matches. Accurate predictions in the 2010 World Cup brought him worldwide attention as an animal oracle.

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The comic centers on the Boys as they infiltrate "Herogasm", an annual party for Vought-sponsored superheroes to allow them vacations.

Later, The Deep was forced by Homelander to eat Timothy, while he was still alive, during a meal. As The Deep starts to put Timothy inside his mouth, Timothy starts to pray until he is eventually crushed to death by The Deep's teeth.

Foster describes the effect of this mentorship-like relationship the octopus provided him, teaching him a lesson on the fragility of life and humanity's connection with nature. This transfers to Foster creating a deeper bond with his son, Tom Foster, as his son develops as a diver and marine biology student.

Perhaps the most famous mythical representation of the octopus is the Kraken. It's a legendary, giant cephalopod-like sea monster originating from Scandinavian folklore. According to the Norse sagas, the Kraken dwells off the coasts of Norway and Greenland and terrorizes nearby sailors.

Why doesn't Craig intervene when the octopus is attacked by a shark? Craig didn't want to interfere with the natural course that nature must take. The reality can be heartbreaking, especially as many of us watched alongside Craig as the Common Octopus got her arm bitten off by a pajama shark.

Octopuses have demonstrated intelligence in a number of ways, says Jon. 'In experiments they've solved mazes and completed tricky tasks to get food rewards. They're also adept at getting themselves in and out of containers.' There are also intriguing anecdotes about octopuses' abilities and mischievous behaviour.