For World Octopus Day on October 8, CompassionWorks International has signed a joint letter with 144 other NGOs calling on the European Commission to prohibit octopus farming throughout the European Union and the sale of products from octopuses farmed outside the EU. The initiative, organized by Compassion in World Farming, brings together animal protection organizations and experts to urge action before this industry becomes established.
The letter highlights serious welfare concerns: octopuses are intelligent, sentient animals with complex behavioral needs, and crowded farming conditions can lead to stress, aggression, and cannibalism. It also warns that raising these carnivorous animals would require feed made from wild-caught fish and other aquatic animals, adding pressure to marine ecosystems. Creating another form of intensive animal farming is a choice governments can still prevent.
There has already been an important victory. In July, Compassion in World Farming reported that Nueva Pescanova had abandoned its proposed commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria, Spain. But stopping one project does not prevent another from being proposed. The joint letter seeks lasting protection through legislation, rather than leaving advocates to fight each new farm individually.
CWI supports this preventive approach. Octopuses deserve protection from an industry built around confining and killing them for food. Our participation in this initiative is part of our commitment to challenging animal exploitation and promoting compassionate choices.
