World’s first octopus farm cancelled after global backlash

I hope you’ve had a lovely July and start to August wherever you are in the world. Things are interesting here in the UK. Not only did many parts of the country have the driest July on record, but there is currently a hosepipe ban on 40% of England’s population owing to the drought that we’re currently facing. All of this in a country where one of the most common cliches is that it rains a lot. Here in London, the lack of rain is extremely noticeable, with pretty much all of the grass in the city’s parks being yellow and dried out.

If there’s one silver lining, perhaps the record heat, wildfires and lack of rain will bring the urgency of addressing the climate crisis back to the forefront. However, even with all of this in mind, some incredibly positive things have been happening for animals recently.

The Good News Roundup is a regular instalment from me where I cover positive news stories from around the world that relate to veganism and animals. If you’ve been in need of a reminder that good things are happening for animals, then hit subscribe.

Plans for the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Spain’s Canary Islands have been scrapped. The project, first announced in 2019 by seafood company Nueva Pescanova, aimed to raise up to one million octopuses a year in land-based tanks.

Octopuses have never been farmed on a large scale before, and for good reason. They are solitary, highly intelligent animals who do not cope well in captivity. Scientists warned that intensive farming would likely lead to chronic stress, aggression, cannibalism and immense suffering.

Nueva Pescanova said its decision was based on ‘business and regulatory considerations’. But the proposal sparked extraordinary global opposition from scientists, animal protection organisations, politicians and members of the public. Several countries around the world have also put forward bills that if passed will preemptively ban octopus farming.

I interviewed one of the academics whose work has been instrumental in opposing octopus farming. If you’d like to listen to that podcast interview, then you can do so here.

An Argentine court has recognised two goldfish, Fede and Magui, as sentient beings with legal rights after they were rescued from a tiny display tank outside a sushi restaurant in Buenos Aires.

The court found that keeping the pair in a small display tank exposed to direct sunlight and constant street noise amounted to mistreatment, after Jaulas Vacías (Empty Cages) animal sanctuary filed a complaint.

Fede and Magui have since been adopted and moved to a much larger, more suitable home, undoubtedly the best possible outcome for them. But the bigger lesson is that fish are sentient individuals, not decorations. They should not be bred to spend their lives confined to tanks in the first place.

This decision sets a legal precedent - by recognising that fish are sentient individuals rather than mere property, the ruling challenges the way fish have long been treated and could pave the way for stronger legal protections in the future.

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Switzerland violated the rights of two people after they were repeatedly denied vegan meals while detained in state institutions.

In a landmark judgment, the court recognised that ethical veganism is a protected philosophical belief under the European Convention on Human Rights. This ruling reinforces that veganism is not a preference or a trend, but a moral conviction, and improves the rights of people to access plant-based meals.

These stories represent why I started the Good News Roundup in the first place, as they are evidence that positive things are happening all the time. The transition to a better world for animals won’t happen in one dramatic moment; instead, it will be one domino falling at a time. Whether it be the stopping of an industry before it has begun, a story that challenges people to see fish as individuals, or a ruling that affirms the rights of vegans and legitimises animal ethics in the legal system, each victory is important and paves the way for more victories to come.