Carl T. Bergstrom

Last spring, Washington State passed a bill banning commercial octopus farming.

Today, we (myself and 99 others, led by Jennifer Jacquet, Becca Franks, Peter Godfrey-Smith, and Walter Sanchez-Suarez) have a letter in Science supporting the US OCTOPUS Act, which would do the same nationwide.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr3813

Aug 17, 2024 at 4:44amWeb
Show threadCarl T. BergstromAug 17, 2024

Octopuses cannot be farmed humanely.

They are highly intelligent, extremely curious creatures that fare poorly in monotonous environment without natural stimulation. They are naturally solitary and experience intense stress in crowded environments.

Farming conditions are horrible for them.

(It's also highly inefficient, ecologically, to farm carnivores.)

Here's the full PDF: https://carlbergstrom.com/publications/pdfs/2024Science.pdf

Show threadthe Amygdalai LamaAug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom
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and anyway, this is a form of aquaculture, like it requires an ocean of a certain temperature, and with oxygen in it and stuff? This plan is from some living, growing planet, or what?
Show threadⓋ🏴‍☠️Aug 17, 2024

No animal can be farmed humanely. Farming implies breeding in captivity

See my article on humanewashing: https://blog.open-source-eschaton.net/against-animal-agriculture

[Against Animal Agriculture: My Search for "Humane" Animal Products]

It's not your fault.

[Open-Source Eschaton]
Show threadMichael Bishop ☕Aug 17, 2024
@currentbias one of the best articles I have read about so called humane animal care.
Show threadrivalAug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom I guess for our own health and planet sustainability we should turn our gears to a full vegetarian diet... There's also the kindness of stop massively murdering so many lifeforms without real need...
Show threadMichael Bishop ☕Aug 17, 2024
@rival @ct_bergstrom vegan is the least we can do for the animals and planet.
Show threadSarah WAug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom
Do you have an update on the proposed octopus farm in the Canaries?
This was the latest article I could find, from February.
https://www.npr.org/2024/02/07/1229233837/octopus-farm-spain-controversy
Show threadLegit_SpaghettiAug 17, 2024

They are naturally solitary and experience intense stress in crowded environments.

Holy crap, I'm part octopus!

@ct_bergstrom

Show threadDenaAug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom Thank you.
Show threadMarquise de What 🇨🇦Aug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom Thank you for this sentence: “Satisfying luxury markets does not justify the substantial threats that octopus farms would pose to animal welfare and marine ecosystems.” I too would like humans to act more humane, and less self-damned, regarding what we know about intelligent marine life.
Show threadkatch wreckAug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom well done
Show threadRandom ParticipationAug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom I encourage everyone to stop eating octopus. Just go read why.
Show threadMichael Bishop ☕Aug 17, 2024
@ct_bergstrom now work to ban the farming of all animals. A vegan world is the future.
Show threadceartasAug 17, 2024

@ct_bergstrom

I’m no vegan, but I’m damned if I’m going to eat an animal that’s demonstrably as intelligent as I am. #octopus