Should Farmed Octopus Be on the Menu?
December 6, 2023
Several companies are proposing to open offshore octopus farms, saying they would help relieve pressure on wild populations and provide a valued foodstuff. But there are objections, the Washington Post recently reported, quoting the environmental scientist Jennifer Jacquet and citing her coauthorship of “an influential essay” in Issues. After reviewing what she and her cowriters consider the practical and ethical problems with raising octopuses in captivity, they call on “governments, private companies, and academic institutions to stop investing in octopus farming now and to instead focus their efforts on achieving a truly sustainable and compassionate future for food production.”