Demand grows to ban octopus farms in Canada
Over 11,000 people have signed a petition demanding the Canadian government ban octopus farms from opening in the country.
In February, federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May sponsored a petition from the BC SPCA calling for a ban on the aquacultural practice.
The BC SPCA says there are currently no octopus farms operating in Canada, but with a growing appetite for the delicacy around the world, the worry is that the country's coasts could become hotbeds for farming.
"We're really concerned about these animals' welfare on farms," said Melissa Speirs, the BC SPCA manager of farm animal welfare.
"We would like to see the federal government ban octopus farming in Canada and ban the importation of cephalopod products."
The preventative measures are already being worked on the south of the border.
Washington state lawmakers are working to pass Bill 1153, which would eliminate octopus farming, a decision made after animal rights and environmental groups brought the issue to their attention.
"We don't have a proposed octopus farm coming to Washington state," said Rep. Strom Peterson, Washington District 21 representative. "So this is more of a statement bill: 'Hey, let's take a look at this in Washington state and let's talk to our neighbours to the north and south."
Peterson says the bill didn't make it through the process this year and will be tabled again in January 2024, where he believes it will be supported by both Democrats and Republicans.
Questions revolving around the ethics of octopus farming have been raised by more than politicians. Marine biologists have also warned that the practice could be inhumane.
"There's that ethical concern that they're very intelligent animals that can learn and interact, and then there are animal welfare considerations if you have to have them in close quarters," said Dr. Chris Harley, a marine biologist at UBC.
Harley also says there is limited research on the implications of octopus being mass-produced. He says there isn't a successful history of culturing the animal, which could lead to potential diseases spreading.
He says only a handful of countries are farming octopus, and with octopus popping up on more menus around the globe, companies are looking to get into the business.
"We do know it takes an awful amount of food to produce a kilogram of octopus. Maybe twice as much food as a kilogram of salmon or shrimp," said Harley. "You could probably do it but it's more intensive."
Harley also questions the sustainably of the farm, as octopus feed on fish and other animals which would require the farmer to use additional ocean life to maintain its health.
The petition is open until May 16, when it is then expected to be delivered to the federal government to review.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.