The Media Celebrates California’s Historic Ban on Octopus Farming
By Livia Schonenberg @ 2024-10-15T17:12 (+3)
On September 27th, Governor Gavin Newsom signed The California Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act, cosponsored by Animal Legal Defense Fund and Social Compassion in Legislation, into law. The law prohibits octopus farming and the sales of commercially farmed octopus across the state. This made California the second state to implement a state-wide ban on octopus farming after Washington State prohibited the practice in March.
This victory is the result of a collaborative effort among several organizations dedicated to protecting octopuses. The media celebrates the new law as a testament to effective advocacy and collaboration among organizations who raised awareness about the ethical, environmental, and public health issues associated with farming octopuses. These issues are explored in Aquatic Life Institute’s report; “Why Cephalopod Farming Must be Rejected Before it Starts”.
Collaboration through the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA) coalition included contributions from over 130 AAA member organizations, who signed a letter to the California State Senate in support of the bill. Aquatic Life Institute and Animal Rights Initiative provided expert in-person testimony, and further collective efforts included providing research and support to lawmakers.
Our continued efforts are aimed at securing similar protections worldwide, pushing for a global ban on octopus farming. The articles note that this ban sets a crucial precedent for other states and nations. Explore the full stories here:
We thank all of the supporting organizations for standing with us in this fight, and look forward to continued progress in the global Octopus Farming Ban Campaign.