In news of progress for our global campaign to ban octopus farming, a federal bill to prevent the commercial farming of octopuses, as well as the importation and sale of commercially farmed octopuses, has been reintroduced by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The bipartisan legislation was originally introduced in 2024 and is being brought forward again now due to continued momentum at the federal level for the bill to become law. It is preceded by the introduction of similar legislation in various U.S. states, including formal laws in California and Washington.
The bill, referred to as “Opposing the Cultivation and Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies Act of 2025” or the “OCTOPUS Act of 2025,” prohibits any authorization of commercial octopus aquaculture operations in the United States and its exclusive economic zone. The bill also prohibits the importation into the United States - or the re-exportation - of commercially aquacultured octopus, including any living or dead specimens, parts, or derivatives, or any product containing specimens, parts, or derivatives of such octopus.
We at Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) believe that the reintroduction of this federal bill signifies a watershed moment in protecting against the environmental, ethical, and public health challenges associated with octopus farming. This bill, as well as other recent legislative progress, follows the advocacy efforts of several NGOs, including ALI, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and more. ALI has actively supported this bill via conversations with Senator Whitehouse’s office and by sending the scientific material essential to craft the bill in an evidence-based manner.
More recent progress on the global campaign to ban octopus farming include:
* In May, together with Animals Aotearoa and other Aquatic Animal Alliance members, Aquatic Life Institute and 168 organizations signed an open letter urging New Zealand’s government to stop fund
