Industrialized octopus? Exposed Nueva Pescanova plans deepen ethical concerns as world-first farm awaits approval

17 Apr 2023 --- Animal protection campaigners are increasing pressure on the Canary Islands government and European Commission (EC) to block Nueva Pescanova’s construction of the world’s first industrial octopus farm after exposed company documents reinforced fears of cruelty and environmental exploitation. 

The Spanish seafood company, which declined to comment when we first investigated this development on World Octopus Day 2022, now tells us that its project “fully complies with the guidelines issued by the EC for a balanced convergence between the growth of the aquaculture sector and the green transition,” adding that it has achieved “optimal conditions for octopus culture that ensure their well-being.”

The project plans, which were submitted to the Canary Islands’ General Directorate of Fishing by Nueva Pescanova and uncovered by Eurogroup for Animals, reveal the intention to subject the animals to slaughter by ice slurry, confinement in crowded tanks and exposure to constant, unnatural sunlight.

While some scientists warn that such conditions will inflict immense psychological and physical suffering on the octopuses and a potential mortality rate of 1 in 5, the EU’s existing animal welfare law does not apply to invertebrate animal species, meaning there is no protection afforded to octopuses when farmed.
Animal rights activists argue it will never be possible to farm sentient creatures like octopuses ethically.

But EC sources tell FoodIngredientsFirst that it is set to revise the legislation and broaden its scope to octopuses for delivery between 2023-2030. “More scientific knowledge is needed to understand the welfare implications of farming cephalopods,” they say.

A race against time
Eurogroup for Animals does not support the EC’s decision to establish welfare criteria for farmed octopuses, arguing that ethical octopus farming is unattainable based on conclusions drawn by the London School of Economics.

“Octopus farming should be prohibited before it starts,” insists Agnese Marcon, communications manager at the Brussels-based lobby group. “Many years of science are needed to establish knowledge on their welfare indicators and millions of octopus will suffer as the industry emerges and embeds bad practices.”

“We are calling for a ban on octopus farming to be included in the animal welfare review and there is strong support in the European Parliament for this. We are also meeting with EU funding representatives to request that public funds are not put toward this project.”

However, Eurogroup for Animals is struggling to gain political support in the Canary Islands, despite over 110 signatories submitting their concerns to the government during a public inquiry into Nueva Pescanova last year.

“These concerns were largely dismissed by representatives from the relevant general directorates. We will continue to support our member organizations in Spain to raise awareness at the national level, especially targeting the regional elections in the Canary Islands in May,” says Marcon.

The farm’s construction cannot begin until all required permits are obtained. Nueva Pescanova reportedly submitted applications for these permits over a year ago, but they are currently paused, awaiting the final decision related to the EU’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). If the EIA is approved, the Canary Islands’ General Directorate of Fishing will have the final decision over the permit.

“We still don’t have a specific date on when construction and production will begin, but we hope to have the license in the coming months,” a Nueva Pescanova spokesperson tells us. Eurogroup for Animals believes construction will begin once the government gives the green light.EU animal welfare law does not currently protect octopuses but a revision is upcoming.

Food for thought
Critics of the farm also argue that feeding octopuses on an industrial scale will exacerbate already depleted wild fish populations and contradict the EU’s Strategic Aquaculture Guidelines. But Nueva Pescanova tells us that the animals will be fed in line with “the maximum sustainability criteria.”

“We have determined octopuses’ nutritional needs and are developing specific diets for the different stages of their growth. This diet uses discards and by-products of already-caught fish not intended for human consumption. It’s a circular economy solution that avoids resorting to fishing wild animals,” the spokesperson explains.

“This aquaculture project protects wild fishing grounds, guarantees the sustainability of species and responds to a growing demand for seafood. Octopus is a high-protein, low-fat food for which demand is increasing. These aspects contribute to the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy for a sustainable food system.”

Meanwhile, the Pescanova Biomarine Center (PBC) is researching the substitution of fish by-products for plant-based alternatives like microalgae, whose protein component can be up to 70% of their biochemical composition.

EC sources tell us that its strategic aquaculture guidelines promote diversification to low-trophic species, such as mollusks, which do not require animal feed, while sustainable feed systems for fed aquaculture must be ensured.

“This guidance means using feed ingredients that are sourced in a way that reduces the use of ingredients based on wild fish stocks. Alternative sources of protein for feed are already being made available on the market, like algae and insects,” they say.

However, with the farm’s license pending, Eurogroup for Animals claims that the EC is not actually aware of what Nueva Pescanova plans to ultimately feed the octopuses.

“In the documents we have seen, it says the company will feed an extruded dry feed, which means a manufactured pellet feed that typically includes fishmeal and fish oil as main ingredients for carnivorous aquatic species. Crucially, nobody is being told how many kilograms of fish you have to feed an octopus to rear it,” says Marcon.Nueva Pescanova maintains that farming can support octopuses in the wild and provide nutritious food.

Octopus haven or hell?
According to a project overview shared by Nueva Pescanova, the company will prioritize animal welfare by applying species-specific conditions to its farm. It also suggests that its farm will help position Spain as the leading country in Octopus research. For instance, PBC scientists say they have observed evidence that female octopuses do not die after the spawning period in the farming environment, unlike in the wild.

“The octopuses will live in different types of pools with different sizes, designed to provide the optimal conditions they need at each stage of their lives,” says the spokesperson. “We are finding that due to the welfare conditions, octopuses avoid propulsion in their movements and prioritize calmer movements through their arms.”

However, Dr. Heather Browning, lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Southampton, UK, and researcher in animal welfare science, warns that high-welfare octopus farming is not currently possible and Nueva Pescanova’s proposed conditions do not meet ethical standards.

“Octopuses are a largely solitary species that spend most of their time in shelters, which makes crowded and brightly lit conditions highly likely to cause stress, aggression and injury,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“Also, it is well established that octopuses are intelligent and curious animals, and there is no suggestion that the housing conditions will be sufficiently complex or enriching to meet their cognitive needs, with the animals instead likely to experience boredom and frustration.”

Despite acknowledging that octopuses boast “outstanding conditions for survival due to their particular physiology,” Nueva Pescanova insists that “there is no scientifically validated knowledge about their ‘intelligence’ or whether they are more intelligent than other marine species already farmed.”Demand for octopus is growing in several regions, including Japan, where a similar farm could be constructed.

The company also claims that its chosen slaughter method would “involve proper handling that avoids any pain or suffering to the animal,” but Eurogroup for Animals argues that this is impossible with ice slurry deaths.

“Scientific data has shown that ice slurry without pre-stunning is inhumane and the European Food Safety Authority has already discouraged its use for several fish species due to the pain and suffering it causes. The EU is also currently drafting legislation to end this practice in major aquaculture sectors and several companies have discontinued its use within their own production,” explains Marcon.

The Canary Islands facility would be the world’s first industrial octopus farm if approved, but there are attempts to establish similar octopus farms in other parts of the world, such as Mexico and Japan.

In February, the US State of Washington signaled a move toward banning octopus farming, which would be the first of its kind. This move followed the recent closure of the “Kanaloa Octopus Farm” in Hawaii – the only active octopus farm in the US – in response to a Compassion in World Farming campaign.

By Joshua Poole