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There are three fundamental problems. Octopus farms are likely to stimulate a greater worldwide demand for octopus, which will add to the growing pressure on wild stocks; as with many forms of aquaculture (the fastest-growing food-producing sector in the world) they will hoover up wild stocks of other overfished species (fish, prawns, crabs and mussels) to feed the octopuses \u2013 which consume about three times their weight in food a day; and, quite simply, octopus farming is unethical.<\/p>\n

Octopuses are about as close to intelligent aliens as we\u2019re ever likely to get. They have three hearts, blue blood, eight sucker-covered arms and nine \u2018brains\u2019 (each arm can act intelligently on its own).<\/p>\n

They can change colour and texture to match their environment \u2013 or their mood \u2013 and their boneless, eight-legged bodies have no fixed shape. The largest species, the giant Pacific octopus, has an average arm span of 16 feet and yet can squeeze through an opening just a few inches wide (the only limiting factor is its tough beak).<\/p>\n

Octopus is a delicacy \u2013 by no stretch of the imagination is it essential to food security <\/blockquote> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>
Most of all, they are impressively bright, capable of learning, solving problems, playing and using tools. Indeed, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, which is moving slowly through our own Parliament, specifically includes octopuses as sentient beings.<\/p>\n
I think they are among the least-suited animals in the world for commercial farming \u2013 and that\u2019s saying something. Yet, where octopus farming is being developed, there are no laws to regulate their welfare or farming practices.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, octopus farming is far from easy. The prize is cultivating an animal that grows quickly, reproduces easily and commands a high price, but concerted efforts in Australia, Mexico, Hawaii and Japan have so far failed to solve the myriad challenges it poses.<\/p>\n
The delicate larvae eat only live food and need a carefully controlled environment (which is why, until now, octopus \u2018farming\u2019 has involved capturing young octopuses in the wild and growing them to market size in aquatic pens).<\/p>\n
The adults are highly territorial and solitary by nature and, given that they\u2019re renowned escape artists, clearly do not like being kept in tanks.<\/p>\n
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