Octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish are among the most cognitively complex invertebrates. Growing evidence of their sentience is reshaping welfare science and ethics.
Cephalopods present a unique welfare challenge: highly intelligent animals with short lifespans, no parental care, and a biology completely different from vertebrates. Standard anaesthesia protocols developed for mammals are not directly applicable. Research into cephalopod pain, stress, and positive welfare is in its infancy. The commercial capture of octopus and squid - largely by trawl and jig fishing - almost certainly involves significant suffering given what we know about their sentience. The nascent octopus aquaculture industry raises additional welfare concerns about housing solitary, complex animals in intensive conditions.