SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is now part of the international fight to ban octopus farming thanks to a newly proposed bill.
Assembly Bill 3162 was proposed and would, if passed as written, ban the importing of farmed octopus into the state and also prevent any farms from being created in the future.
California octopus is already wild caught, but supporters of the bill want to ensure it stays that way.
“Octopuses are primarily solitary creatures that are not suited for large scale breeding. They have demonstrated an aptitude for learning and their acute intelligence is becoming well recorded among the scientific community,” said Assemblymember Steve Bennett who introduced the bill. “AB 3162 will prevent needless, systemic harm to these captivating animals.”
Octopus is often used for sushi and calamari, Mediterranean and tapas style restaurants.
From an environmental standpoint, experts say octopus farms — whether in tanks, on land, or pens in the water — would create nitrogen and phosphorus runoff.
They say this type of farming is simply not sustainable.
“Octopus are carnivores so they have to consume three times their weight in other fish to survive and that means intensive farming on an industrial scale,” said Jennifer Hauge, senior legislative affairs of Animal Legal Defense Fund, a sponsor of the bill. “It supports a luxury product industry that is fundamentally unsustainable, potentially environmentally harmful and definitely inhumane.”
Several other countries are trying to move forward with similar changes about octopus farming, but if this bill passes, it would make California a leader in the movement. Similar legislation is proposed in Hawaii and Washington.
The bill is eligible for an assembly hearing starting March 18.
Sushi restaurants in Sacramento tell ABC10 they’re not currently experiencing any issue with octopus supply and the California Restaurant Association says it’s too early to comment on this bill.
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