In UK, World's first Octopus farm invites criticism from scientists, conservationists

As the news of the world's first commercial octopus farm in the Canary Islands by Nueva Pescanova, a Spanish multinational, circulated, scientists and conservationists have expressed concern at the idea of it becoming a reality. They opine that such intelligent organisms, which are thought to be capable of feeling pain and emotions, should never be commercially raised for food, as per BBC reports. The idea of octopus farming stems from the high demand for its meat. However, scientists have believed for many years that commercial farming of octopuses was not feasible due to the difficulty of doing so in a compassionate manner. The demand has increased in the previous 50 years over the world.

Caretakers of octopuses say that the creatures form bonds with caregivers and are just delighted to be in the company and that these creatures are more like pets to them than food. Stacey Tonkin, who has been working with Giant Pacific Octopus says that when she lifts the tank cover to feed the creature, it frequently scoots out of his cave to see her and sticks its arms on the glass.

The level of awareness witnessed by Stacey will be recognized in UK law through an amendment to the Animal Welfare Bill, according to BBC. A committee of experts went through over 300 scientific researches and decided that octopuses were sentient beings with strong scientific evidence that they could experience pleasure, excitement, and joy but also pain, anxiety, and harm. The experts also stated that the government may contemplate a ban on imported farmed octopus in the future.

The number of wild octopuses is dwindling, while prices are rising. Each year, an estimated 350,000 tonnes are caught, more than ten times the amount caught in 1950. The competition to discover the secret to breeding octopuses in captivity has been ongoing for decades. According to BBC, Nueva Pescanova has declared that it will begin marketing farmed octopus next summer, with the intention of selling it in 2023.

Nueva Pescanova has not disclosed  facts about the octopuses' living conditions

Nueva Pescanova has not disclosed the facts about the octopuses' living conditions. The size of the tanks, the food they will eat, and how they will be killed, according to BBC. An international consortium of researchers has called the measures ethically and ecologically unjustified. Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) has written to the governments of various nations, including Spain, encouraging them to prohibit it.