Chile could become the first country in the world to introduce a national ban on octopus farming, setting itself as a trailblazer in terms of marine protection and animal welfare. In particular, the measure aims to prohibit the installation, operation or functioning of centers intended for the reproduction, growth or fattening of octopuses throughout the national territory.
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The objective of the Proyecto de Ley Boletín N°17913
The proposal, presented last October 15 by the deputy Marisela Santibáñez together with a group of parliamentarians and supported by the Fundación Vegetarianos Hoy, was born with the aim of preventing the development of a defined practice “ethically unacceptable” And “environmentally unsustainable” by modifying the Reglamento de Concesiones de Acuicultura and preventing the issuing of new permits for this activity.
The Proyecto de Ley Boletín N°17913, currently under consideration by the Environment and Natural Resources Commission, is based on three key pillars:
In addition to the ethical value, the motion also highlights the economic and environmental contradictions of this type of cultivation. To produce 1 kg of octopus, up to 10 kg of live fish and crustaceans are needed, a ratio that makes the system highly inefficient. Added to this are high mortality rates and the release of nitrogenous and phosphate residues which compromise the quality of coastal waters.
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Octopuses are highly intelligent and sensitive animals
In this way, Chile would distance itself from an intensive production model which elsewhere, such as in Europe and Asia, is already showing its negative consequences. In fact, octopus farming requires artificial conditions that compromise their health and increase the risk of damage to marine ecosystems.
These animals, carnivorous by nature, need large quantities of fish to survive: feeding them in captivity means encouraging intensive fishing which further burdens already threatened species. Added to this is the use of antibiotics in aquaculture tanks, with knock-on effects on bacterial resistance and, ultimately, human health. The Chilean project therefore intends to adopt a preventive approach, blocking the birth of an industry that would risk compromising marine biodiversity.
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Recent scientific research has overturned the common perception of these animals. Octopuses are highly intelligent and sensitive beings with a complex neural network that extends into their arms. They not only react to physical stimuli, but experience pain and emotions, recognize themselves and show extraordinary learning and memory abilities. These characteristics make it ethically unacceptable to raise them in confined spaces, depriving them of their natural freedom and the cognitive stimulation necessary for their balance.
With this bill, Chile aligns itself with international sustainability principles and paves the way for a global reflection on how we interact with other forms of life. In an era in which the marine environment is under siege, choosing not to breed octopuses is not only a gesture of civility, but an act of ecological foresight. The South American country could thus become an ethical and scientific model for all nations that intend to combine progress and respect for life.
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