Animal rights activists have gathered in Madrid to protest plans for the development of a large-scale octopus farm
MADRID — Animal rights activists gathered Sunday in Madrid to protest plans for the development of an octopus farm in Spain, saying there are not any respective legal guidelines within the nation and the European Union to ensure the welfare of the animals in captivity.
The proposed farm, which goals to breed octopuses on a big scale in captivity, is scheduled to be constructed subsequent yr within the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago positioned within the Atlantic Ocean.
A couple of dozen individuals confirmed as much as specific their issues relating to a venture that plans to restrict 3 million octopuses in swimming pools, regardless of these creatures being solitary predators of their pure habitat.
“It’s just like imprisoning tigers collectively. They are going to prey on each other and also will try to flee as a consequence of their excessive intelligence and adeptness”, mentioned Jaime Poasada, a spokesperson for the protest known as by numerous animal welfare organizations.
Octopuses grown in captivity will behave in a different way from these within the wild, mentioned Nova Pescanova, the seafood firm selling this farm. Since 2018, the corporate has run a pilot venture in a analysis facility in northern Spain, the place they’ve succeeded in breeding 5 captivity-born generations of the cephalopod.
“It isn’t doable to develop any (animal) species within the European Union with out respecting their welfare circumstances. It’s the usual, and our group does nothing however adjust to pointers and legislations,” mentioned Roberto Romero, the multinational’s aquaculture director.
Because the demand for octopus consumption has been on the rise, farming octopuses is being considered a primary step in the direction of guaranteeing sustainable meals manufacturing.
Octopus is a staple within the Mediterranean weight-reduction plan, significantly common in Spain and Italy, though each of them import many of the octopus they eat. Not too long ago, the worldwide demand for this delicacy has expanded, with international locations like america witnessing a 23% improve in imports and China experiencing a 73% surge between 2016 and 2018, in line with the U.N. Meals and Agriculture Group.