Today, on World Octopus Day (8 October), we released new research exposing that governments around the world have poured millions of public funds into developing octopus farming, and the vast majority was spent by Spain.

Our research estimates that a total of at least €13.3 million in public funds has been spent by governments worldwide on research to develop octopus farming and that the Spanish Government has spent at least €9.7 million developing this cruel and unsustainable practice.

Millions of EU funds supporting octopus farming

It further shows that Spain has spent an estimated €3.6 million of that amount using EU funds either in direct financing or as part of loans to support private companies involved. Furthermore, Italy has spent more than a quarter of a million euros on octopus farming projects.

Outside the EU, Chile has spent an estimated €2.4 million, New Zealand more than half a million euros, and Australia €324k, while Mexico received €89k from the United Nations development programme for octopus farm development.

However, the research revealed that this could be the tip of the iceberg as information about public funding of projects is often not freely available, indicating that the true amounts could be much higher as well as a need for greater transparency in public spending so that governments can be held accountable.

A poll we commissioned this year together with Eurogroup for Animals showed that almost 8 out of 10 (79%) people polled in nine EU countries think that when public money is used to fund aquatic animal farming, the money should only support farms that are sustainable. In Spain, an overwhelming 83% of people agree.

In response, more than 90 NGOs and experts – including Peter Singer, Eurogroup for Animals, Ocean Born Foundation, World Animal Protection and Jennifer Jacquet – have today joined us in writing to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urging him to stop his government’s funding of octopus farming and to take steps to legislate to ban the practice.

Hollywood actor adds voice to campaign

Acclaimed Hollywood actor and host of The Traitors (US), Alan Cumming, has added his voice to the campaign to stop government funding of octopus farming. He said: “It’s shocking that governments around the world are spending public funds on research to develop something as cruel and environmentally damaging as octopus farming. This must be stopped.”

Octopuses are highly intelligent and naturally solitary wild animals that are unsuited to crowded factory farm conditions. This confinement could lead to severe stress, aggression and even cannibalism. It’s also unsustainable as they would need to be fed wild-caught fishes in captivity – a practice that would contribute to overfishing and food insecurities in already vulnerable communities around the world.

On Saturday, we joined eight environmental and animal protection NGOs, including Eurogroup for Animals, and Greenpeace, to gather in front of the Spanish Congress to highlight the reasons why the world’s first octopus farm planned in Gran Canaria, must be stopped. Our EU Senior Science and Policy Advisor, Dr Elena Lara, spoke at the event.

Governments must stop funding octopus farming