Proposals to farm octopus commercially have drawn significant opposition from animal welfare scientists who argue these solitary, intelligent animals are unsuitable for aquaculture.
Octopuses in captivity show signs of stress including skin pattern disruption and abnormal behavior. They have no natural experience of confinement and their cognitive complexity makes the privations of farming particularly significant. The combination of high sentience and poor suitability for farming argues strongly against commercial octopus aquaculture.