Scientific evidence for pain and suffering in cephalopods including squid and cuttlefish is growing, creating new welfare considerations for a commercially important group.
The rapid accumulation of evidence for cephalopod sentience means that billions of squid and octopuses may be captured and killed annually with significant unrecognised welfare costs. Fishing methods for squid including jigging cause injuries that produce pain-consistent responses. The lack of any humane slaughter standards for commercially caught cephalopods represents a major welfare gap. Research needs to inform practical welfare standards urgently.