FRIEND OR FOOD?
Eating octopus stirs controversy
On a rainy afternoon in April, Union Square Park was, as is often the case, home to a band of protesters. This time, the cause was not inequality or political oppression. It was a mollusk — an octopus, to be precise. Protesters held signs reading “Let’s stop this cruelty” and “#StopOctopusFarm” beneath images of the leggy creature.
Amid rising demand for the tentacled delight, Spanish company Nueva Pescanova has announced that it will open the world’s first octopus farm in 2023. But the plan is mired in controversy, with environmentalists, zoologists and animal lovers
decrying that it would be a cruel practice. The creatures, who do poorly when confined, have been found to be increasingly intelligent and perceptive.
‘Crying in remorse’
“It’s a giant step backward with what we now know,’’ said Fleur Dawes, communications director for In Defense of Animals, the organization behind the Union Square rally.
Forget foie gras. The edible-animal crusade du jour is octopus. In the wake of Netflix’s touching — and Oscar-winning — documentary “My Octopus Teacher” in 2020, and amid a growing body of research around the animals’ problem-solving abilities and capacity to feel pain and emotion, people are decrying the practice of eating octopus as cruel and uncouth. Activists are advocating for the animal’s freedom, diners are asking waiters to omit it from their order and restaurants are hesitant to even offer it.
“The last time I ate it, I was already deeply conflicted, and found myself crying in remorse even as I chomped down on a beautifully prepared baby octopus dish at my favorite Japanese spot,” said Megan Coyle, a hospitality worker based in Washington, DC. She could no longer stomach eating the sea creatures when she read about their forming societies, having dreams and lasting memories, and solving puzzles.
For Lindsey Bailys, a 32-year-old based in Tribeca, it was a National Geographic documentary that was a turning point. “My friends are surprised because I eat red meat and chicken . . . but I really feel better not eating [octopus],’’ she said. “I learned how clever they are, and I thought, ‘How can I eat something like this?’ ’’
Matt Seidmon, 29, was sucked into the cause after watching YouTube. “I eat almost everything, but a couple years ago, I saw a video showcasing how smart they are, so I stopped [eating it], even though I love it,” said the Upper Easter Sider, who works in software sales.
“Some of my friends are a little sarcastic about it, but I’m not preachy. I don’t miss it on a daily basis because I’ve just given up one thing.”
Even seafood mongers are conflicted.
Lamia Funti, the owner of swank Mediterranean restaurant Lamia’s Fish Market in the East Village, no longer partakes in the tasty dish herself, and many of her diners are also abstaining.
Customers speak out
“We have a carbonara pasta with octopus and shrimp, and people are asking us to remove the octopus,” said the restaurateur, 41, who lives on the Lower East Side.
Earlier this week, she even swapped out a picture of octopus on the restaurant’s Web site for images of less fraught fish.
“It looked beautiful,” she said, “but some customers have become very passionate about this.”
People are voicing their outrage beyond restaurants too. Kathleen M. Quinn, 61 and a retired vet tech who lives in Syracuse, NY, was upset when she saw packaged octopus from Spain in her local Costco. She assumed it was farmed, although there are currently no octopus farms in operation.
“I was so alarmed, I brought the package right up to customer service and asked them not to carry it,’’ she said. “The woman said other people had complained as well, but there were also customers who were happy it was being carried.’’