California Passes Landmark Law Banning Octopus Farming

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In a move applauded by animal rights activists, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act into law. This legislation, cosponsored by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Social Compassion in Legislation, prohibits both octopus farming and the sale of farmed octopuses within the state. California now becomes the second state, following Washington, to enact a ban on octopus farming. Similar legislative efforts are underway in other states such as Hawaii and even at the federal level in the U.S. Senate.

The legislation was driven by concerns about the potential inhumanity associated with octopus farming. Octopuses are renowned for their significant cognitive abilities, including learning new skills and using tools, traits that demand complex environmental enrichment which farming fails to provide. “Bipartisan support for this ban highlights California’s unified stance against expanding factory farming to yet another intelligent species,” stated Jennifer Hauge, Senior Legislative Affairs Manager at the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Assemblymember Steve Bennett, who authored the bill, expressed satisfaction with the new law, emphasizing the need to avoid investing resources in industries that compromise animal welfare. Assemblymember Laura Friedman added that octopus farming poses significant ecological threats, arguing instead for efforts to protect marine ecosystems which would be more conducive to marine species recovery.

Environmental concerns were also a significant factor in the legislative process. Farming facilities for octopuses are believed to heighten risks of runoff from nitrogen and phosphorus, potentially exacerbating environmental pollution and creating low-oxygen dead zones. Antibiotics and pesticides used in these facilities could disrupt local food chains, further underlining the ecological stakes described by critics of octopus aquaculture.

Judie Mancuso, Founder and President of Social Compassion in Legislation, expressed gratitude for Governor Newsom’s decision, noting the potential for this law to prevent suffering among octopuses and avoid environmental harm. “The potential for environmental degradation and disease far outweigh any perceived benefits of octopus farming,” added Tessa Gonzalez of the Aquatic Life Institute.

While commercial octopus farming is now outlawed, fishing for octopuses remains permitted with a daily limit per state fishing regulations. This proactive measure reflects an ongoing commitment within California to balance environmental and ethical considerations in legislative decision-making.