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It's Now Illegal to Farm Octopus in California — Here's Why
Food & Wine ^ | October 1, 2024 | Stacey Leasca

Posted on 10/11/2024 5:16:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway

'Octopuses are among the most intelligent, complex life on Earth. Farming them is not only inhumane but poses significant environmental risks.'

It's officially illegal to farm octopus in the state of California.

On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bipartisan bill (which had zero opponents) that criminalizes the farming of octopuses for human consumption, based on the ideas that the aquatic animals are "highly intelligent," have "long-term memory," and have "have a well-developed nervous system."

And, as the Los Angeles Times importantly noted, the bill also bans business owners and operators from "knowingly participating" in the sale of an octopus that has specifically been raised to be eaten by humans.

"Octopuses are highly intelligent, curious, problem-solving animals. They are conscious, sentient beings that exhibit cognitive and behavioral complexity and are capable of experiencing pain, stress, and fear, as well as pleasure, equanimity, and social bonds," the bill's text reads in part. It adds, "Octopuses have a well-developed nervous system, large brains relative to their body size, and a high level of problem-solving ability. They are known for their ability to learn, use tools, and exhibit behaviors that suggest a level of consciousness. Octopuses also display flexibility in their responses to different situations, which is indicative of cognitive complexity."

California 'Skittles Ban' Advances to Governor's Desk, Here's What It Means for Consumers The bill also pointed to a 2021 study that showed that the animals also display aggression toward one another in confinement and the fact that the octopuses are carnivores, "requiring aquatic animal protein in their diets. Thus, farming them will further deplete fish stocks."

The new ban could also have a major ripple effect for the rest of the nation, as California has now become the second state to prohibit octopus farming, following Washington state's example. According to the Los Angeles Times, a similar law is working its way through the system now in Hawaii.

“Octopuses are among the most intelligent, complex life on Earth. Farming them is not only inhumane but poses significant environmental risks,” Assemblymember Laura Friedman, who sponsored the bill, shared after the bill's passing, according to NBC. “Rather than turning to unproven ‘farming’ methods to raise and slaughter octopuses, we should be protecting our marine ecosystem to better enable marine species to rebound.”

These 6 Food Dyes Could Soon Be Banned in California — Here’s What to Know There is one important caveat that NBC noted: Currently, there are no large-scale octopus farms in the state. However, this bill aims to be a proactive step in ensuring there will be none in the future.

“Bipartisan support to ban commercial octopus farming in California underlines the state’s unified opposition to allowing the exploitive practice of factory farming to expand to another population of vulnerable animals,” Jennifer Hauge, the senior legislative affairs manager of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, shared in a statement. “We are pleased to see the bill signed into law and will continue to advocate for similar statewide and federal legislation to protect these targeted animals.”

The bill does still leave room to fish octopus with a permit in state waters.


TOPICS: Agriculture; Business/Economy; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: aquaculture; governmenttenacles; oceans; octopus; seafood; tenaclesofgovernment
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1 posted on 10/11/2024 5:16:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Japanese sushi restaurants are saddened to hear that…… along with the Italian restaurants and Asian restaurants.


2 posted on 10/11/2024 5:18:53 PM PDT by Lockbox (politicians, they all seemed like game show host to me.... Sting)
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So in Commiefornia, octopi are protected but human babies are not.


3 posted on 10/11/2024 5:22:38 PM PDT by Henchster (Free Republic - the BEST site on the web!)
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To: nickcarraway
While a human baby that is put to death (aborted) by the liberal, leftist California governor Newsom, does not enjoy the honors, rank, and privileges:
"highly intelligent," have "long-term memory," and have "have a well-developed nervous system"

of an octopus.

4 posted on 10/11/2024 5:24:56 PM PDT by linMcHlp
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To: Henchster

There a wee bit of good news in this story, as a pre-born baby murdered at an abortuary, returns to God. Also, generally, it is Demonrats that get abortions, thereby limiting their numbers into the future.


5 posted on 10/11/2024 5:30:33 PM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian ( Ceterum autem censeo Justinius True-dope-us esse delendam. sic semper tyrannis.)
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To: nickcarraway

Still ok to kill babies in Kalifornia?


6 posted on 10/11/2024 5:31:07 PM PDT by Mean Daddy (Every time Hillary lies, a demon gets its wings. - Windflier)
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To: Henchster

Greasy Gavin’s Calezuela, a Soviet statewith sunshine!


7 posted on 10/11/2024 5:35:06 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: nickcarraway

Pigs are also extremely intelligent, and pigs, cows, chickens, etc., feel pain, fear and pleasure—and form social bonds.


8 posted on 10/11/2024 5:38:55 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Henchster
""Octopuses are highly intelligent, curious, problem-solving animals. They are conscious, sentient beings that exhibit cognitive and behavioral complexity and are capable of experiencing pain, stress, and fear, as well as pleasure, equanimity, and social bonds," the bill's text reads in part. It adds, "Octopuses have a well-developed nervous system, large brains relative to their body size, and a high level of problem-solving ability. They are known for their ability to learn, use tools, and exhibit behaviors that suggest a level of consciousness. Octopuses also display flexibility in their responses to different situations, which is indicative of cognitive complexity."

Yes, replace 'octopus' with 'human babies' and it all applies. You'd think they'd get the point, but....

9 posted on 10/11/2024 5:41:24 PM PDT by alancarp (George Orwell was an optimist.)
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To: 9YearLurker
... pigs, cows, chickens, etc., feel pain, fear and pleasure—and form social bonds.

Yep, octopi are just the foot in the door leading to the banning of all forms of meat ...

10 posted on 10/11/2024 5:45:34 PM PDT by SFConservative
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To: nickcarraway

“Octopuses are highly intelligent, curious, problem-solving animals. They are conscious, sentient beings that exhibit cognitive and behavioral complexity and are capable of experiencing pain, stress, and fear, as well as pleasure, equanimity, and social bonds,”

Don’t forget the suspicion that octopi is rumored to be direct ancestors to the extraterrestrials!


11 posted on 10/11/2024 5:47:14 PM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The dawn cracks hard like a bull whip and it ain't taking no lip from the night before" Tom Waits)
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To: nickcarraway

Koreans, Japanese and Latinos, most of whom vote blue, love octopus. I hope this costs Newscum some votes.


12 posted on 10/11/2024 5:49:20 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway

Octopuses are tasty.


13 posted on 10/11/2024 5:49:56 PM PDT by Vision (Woke is communism and it has no place in America. Election Reform Now! Obama is an evildoer.)
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To: Mean Daddy

It is. It’s drug user logic.


14 posted on 10/11/2024 5:50:52 PM PDT by Vision (Woke is communism and it has no place in America. Election Reform Now! Obama is an evildoer.)
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To: nickcarraway

Actually, I like this one. I read the previous article about their cleverness and really felt yucky that such intelligent creatures were used as food. Finally, a good for Newsie.


15 posted on 10/11/2024 6:01:29 PM PDT by mairdie (Trump (I Will Win) - Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma https://youtu.be/MigUKGKr-nQ)
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To: SFConservative

Which means that domestic pigs, cows, and chickens will become extinct. If we don’t eat them then there’s no reason to have them around


16 posted on 10/11/2024 6:02:55 PM PDT by Fai Mao (The US government is run by pedophiles and Perverts for pedophiles and perverts.)
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To: nickcarraway

If a shark is about to bite down on an octopus, I have serious doubts, that the shark really cares how intelligent the octopus 🐙 is.


17 posted on 10/11/2024 6:06:24 PM PDT by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. Father of USAF pilot. Both bitten by the aviation bug)
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To: nickcarraway

Pigs are intelligent, too!


18 posted on 10/11/2024 6:14:18 PM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: nickcarraway

But killing human babies? No problem for the Newsome administration.


19 posted on 10/11/2024 6:15:59 PM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag (Accepting a false premise initiates conversational defeat.)
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To: nickcarraway

This is all because a Spanish company is working on the world’s first octopus farm in the Canary Islands.

The first. Meaning there are yet no others.

Breeding octopus in captivity is very difficult, and the ANTI’s aren’t even giving them the opportunity to prove whether their process works. I can’t find any current information about whether they’re in production but since catching wild octopus is still legal in a lot of places, if you’re truly interested in the survival of the species, you’d be stupid to stand against commercial farming to take pressure off the wild creatures.

This is really all about wackadoodles who want you to live on bean sprouts and sawdust and drink your own urine.


20 posted on 10/11/2024 6:46:29 PM PDT by Paal Gulli
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