A Colombian senator has introduced legislation that would ban intensive farming of octopus and other cephalopods for food, as well as the import of cephalopods from overseas farming operations.

The bill, introduced by Senator Esmeralda Hernandez Silva, would cover octopus, squid and cuttlefish farming across Colombia.

There are currently no intensive cephalopod farms for food production in the country, making the proposed ban preemptive as commercial octopus farming projects are explored elsewhere.

The legislation is supported by the Colombian organization PlataformaALTO and the Aquatic Life Institute (ALI), which provided technical information and draft language.

ALI said Colombia is following moves to restrict octopus farming in Chile and Mexico, while the states of California and Washington have already enacted legislation in the US.

Supporters of the Colombian bill argue that intensive cephalopod farming poses animal welfare, environmental and public health concerns.

The bill would also prohibit imports of products produced by intensive cephalopod farming operations abroad.

Comments (0)