Octopuses are among the most cognitively sophisticated invertebrates. Growing evidence of their sentience and capacity for suffering is reshaping debates about their welfare in research and aquaculture.
The welfare of octopuses in captivity is increasingly taken seriously by researchers. They require environmental complexity, problem-solving opportunities, and space to express natural behaviors. Farming them at high density would likely cause severe chronic stress given their territorial and curious nature. Current evidence suggests octopus farming is difficult to reconcile with welfare standards.