Fishes and other Sea Animals Articles used with permission from All-Creatures.org

Katie Nolan reports that plans for the first commercial octopus farm have been cancelled. Although much work remains to ensure that humans will not begin to exploit and abuse octopuses in the way we do so many vertebrates, this remains an extraordinary and hard-fought victory for octopuses and their advocates.

Plans for the World’s First Octopus Farm Are Scrapped
From Katie Nolan, IDA In Defense of Animals, idausa.org
July 2026

Images from Canva

In a historic victory for animals, plans for the world's first commercial octopus farm have officially been abandoned. The proposed farm was being developed by Nueva Pescanova, a Spanish multinational seafood company, at the Port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, one of Spain's Canary Islands. Had it moved forward, this facility would have created an entirely new form of industrial farming for octopuses, threatening the welfare of thousands of these highly intelligent animals and setting a dangerous precedent for the future of marine animal exploitation.

This remarkable achievement is the result of years of relentless advocacy and collaboration among animal protection organizations, scientists, policymakers, and compassionate people around the world. Groups including Plant Based Treaty, Eurogroup for Animals, Compassion in World Farming, the Aquatic Animal Alliance and its affiliated organizations (including In Defense of Animals), and many others worked tirelessly to expose the immense animal welfare and environmental concerns surrounding octopus farming. Together, these organizations kept public attention focused on the proposal and demonstrated overwhelming global opposition to creating a new form of factory farming.

In Defense of Animals is proud to be part of this international effort from the beginning. We launched our own campaign calling on Spanish authorities to reject Nueva Pescanova's proposal, mobilized supporters through an action alert, educated the public about the dangers of octopus farming through articles and outreach, hosted educational webinars, wrote letters to the editor, promoted compassionate alternatives to eating marine animals, and amplified the work of coalition partners fighting to stop this cruel industry before it could begin. Every action by our supporters, whether large or small, helped build the momentum that ultimately contributed to this incredible victory.

At a time when the world should be moving away from animal farming rather than inventing entirely new forms of it, this victory could not be more significant. Octopuses are among the most intelligent and fascinating animals in the ocean. They are capable of solving complex problems, learning through experience, navigating mazes, using tools, and experiencing pain and distress. Confining octopuses in crowded, barren tanks would have subjected them to immense suffering, while farming these carnivorous animals would have required enormous quantities of wild-caught fish for feed, placing even greater strain on already threatened marine ecosystems.

In Defense of Animals is incredibly grateful to everyone who helped stop this proposal from becoming a reality. This victory sends a powerful message to governments and corporations around the world that the public does not want octopus farming. But while we celebrate this milestone, our work is far from over. Now that the idea of commercially farming octopuses has been introduced, we must be proactive to ensure it never takes hold elsewhere. Momentum is already building, with efforts to ban octopus farming advancing in Chile and at the federal level in the United States. In Defense of Animals took action to support the 2024 federal bill to ban octopus farming, as well as the recent effort in Massachusetts. Two states, California and Washington, successfully passed bans, and New Jersey is currently considering a bill as well. In Defense of Animals will continue working alongside our partners to support these efforts and advocate for permanent protections before another proposal emerges.

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: July 31, 2026
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