The California State Senate has taken a monumental step forward in animal welfare by unanimously banning the cruel and unsustainable practice of octopus farming on both land and water.

It also made history by becoming the world’s first government to ban the sale of products from farmed octopuses.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed bill AB-3162 into law on Friday (27th September), making California the second US state to ban the cruel practice of octopus farming after Washington.

International call for legislation

It follows our calls – alongside the Aquatic Animal Alliance, scientists, and millions of citizens across the world – for lawmakers to recognise the cruelty and environmental damage which would result from farming octopuses.

In 2021, we published our report, Octopus Farming: A Recipe for Disaster, uncovering scientific evidence showing that octopus farming would be not just cruel but also environmentally damaging. Later, we joined forces with Eurogroup for Animals to publish Uncovering the Horrific Reality of Octopus Farming and Exposing the Environmental Risks of octopus farming  –  joint responses to Spanish company Nueva Pescanova's plans to farm one million octopuses annually in an aquatic factory farm on the island of Gran Canaria.

The prohibition of the import of farmed octopus meat is crucial, as a production ban without a sales ban would merely shift the problem elsewhere.

As US states are taking steps to ban the trade within their borders, momentum is growing at a national level – with a bill introduced just weeks ago that, if successful, will ban commercial octopus farming throughout the USA.

Clear evidence

"This State ban in California represents a significant victory for animals,"  said Dr Elena Lara, our Senior Research Manager.

"The evidence is clear: octopuses are naturally solitary, sentient creatures and would suffer immensely in the confines of an intensive farm. A ban on octopus farming and the sale of meat from farmed octopuses would set an important precedent to prevent this cruel practice from becoming established worldwide."

Sign our END.IT petition to call for global leaders to transform our food system and end factory farming, including for octopuses.