With the country due to make a decision on this today, the Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) and Animals Aotearoa have written an open letter asking the government to decline funding any projects that aim to develop commercial octopus farming.
According to ALI, the New Zealand government has previously awarded at least one million dollars to the University of Auckland for research to develop octopus farming. While this project is still in the research phase, ALI argues that farming the cephalopods “is both unethical and unsustainable, and current research has not demonstrated any pathway to achieving high-welfare farming or ecosystem-neutral farming for octopuses.”
The open letter has three main asks:
- That the New Zealand Government cease funding research aimed at establishing octopus farming.
- The public funds are instead invested in sustainable food solutions, such as plant-based aquatic food systems and alternative proteins
- That the New Zealand Government prohibits all octopus farming
"Choosing to waste precious taxpayer funds in pursuit of factory farming octopuses is misguided at best, and shameful at worst. This atrocious idea is being actively opposed all around the world. It's immensely cruel to the octopuses, environmentally unsustainable and poses a significant public health risk. Sinking more money into factory farming octopuses is a bad investment in every sense,” said Jennifer Dutton of Animals Aotearoa in a press release. “New Zealand could be leaders in ethical and sustainable food systems, instead of exporting cruelty to the world."
ALI object to the promotion of farming more species, like octopuses, that require diets rich in marine ingredients and thus exacerbate the pressure on already declining wild fish populations.
They are also concerned by the welfare issues relating to raising, and slaughtering, “highly intelligent and complex animals that suffer greatly in captivity due to their solitary and inquisitive nature”.
