Editor,

The legislature should help burnish Washington’s claims to be a haven for inclusion and progressive values and pass the pioneering HB 1153 — preventing the farming of phenomenally interesting, playful and beautiful octopuses. Yes, in spite of the runaway success of Netflix’s “My Octopus Teacher” and the many people you know who think octopuses are so cool, a grim new octopus factory farming industry awaits our fellow creatures. Plans for the world’s first commercial octopus farm are in place for later this year in the Canary Islands, and many governments globally are studying the possibility of farming sentient octopuses.

We should say “no” to exploiting these amazing animals, with all the attendant welfare and ecological issues that come with factory farming practices, just like Washington said no to farmed aquatic animals in our waters last year.

Support HB 1153 and help the octopuses!

Joshua Diamond

Seattle