By ChinRes 
From a legal standpoint, the cultivation of octopus is prohibited in the state of California.
The measure that criminalizes the production of octopuses for human food was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday. The bill, which was supported by both parties and had no opponents, was based on the notion that octopuses are “highly intelligent,” have “long-term memory,” and have “a well-developed nervous system.”
Additionally, as the Los Angeles Times pointed out, the measure prohibits company owners and operators from “knowingly contributing” in the sale of an octopus that has been intentionally grown for the purpose of being consumed by humans.
Octopuses are animals that problem-solve, are very clever, and are naturally curious. A portion of the wording of the law reads as follows: “They are conscious, sentient beings that exhibit cognitive among behavioral complexity and have the capability of experiencing pain, stress, and fear in addition to pleasure, equanimity, and social bonds.” It goes on to say that octopuses have a highly developed neurological system, huge brains in comparison to their physical size, and a high level of problem-solving abilities.
They are renowned for their capacity to acquire knowledge, make use of various instruments, and display actions that are indicative of a certain level of consciousness. Additionally, octopuses exhibit a degree of adaptability in accordance with their reactions to a variety of circumstances, which is suggestive of their cognitive complexity.
In addition, the law referred to a research that was conducted in 2021 and demonstrated that the creatures exhibit aggressive behavior toward one another when they are confined. Additionally, the measure emphasized that octopuses are carnivores, which means that they require aquatic animal protein in their meals. As a result, growing them will further reduce the amount of fish supply.
With the new restriction, California has become the second state in the US to outlaw octopus cultivation, following in the footsteps of Washington state, which was the first state to do so. This might have a significant impact on the rest of the country. According to the Los Angeles Times, a bill that is quite similar to this one is now being considered by the legislature in the state of Hawaii.
Octopuses are among the most sophisticated and complex forms of life that occupy the planet. It is not only terrible to farm them, but it also poses serious threats to the environment, Assemblymember Laura Friedman, who supported the bill, stated after the law was passed, as reported by NBC.
It would be more beneficial to safeguard our marine ecology in order to better enable marine species to recover, rather than resorting to methods of ‘farming’ that have not been demonstrated to be effective in raising and slaughtering octopuses.
The fact that there are no large-scale octopus farms in the state at the moment is a significant limitation that was brought to the attention of NBC. On the other hand, the purpose of this law is to take preventative measures to ensure that there will be none in the future.
Jennifer Hauge, the senior legislative activities manager of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, shared in a statement that “bipartisan support to ban commercial octopus farming in California underlines the state’s unified opposition to allowing the exploitative practice of factory farming to expand to another population of vulnerable animals.” This statement was made in reference to the fact that the state is united in its opposition to the practice of factory farming.
According to the statement, “We are pleased to see the bill signed into effect and will continue to advocate for similar legislation to be passed at the state and federal levels to protect these animals that are being targeted.”
The measure does not completely eliminate the possibility of fishing for octopus in state waters with a permission.