Eating live seafood - CNN Video

[vladimir]

Just remember we humans are not the only creatures that eat live octopus!

We are the only creatures that "heavily disrupt" their habitat in the process of catching them.

over population, humans dying of starvation or curable diseases...3,000,000-5,000,000 people die from malaria each year

One of these might just take care of itself if we leave all of them be.

I'm done.

Wanna bet?

 

[drbill]

While I prefer my prey to be quite dead before it reaches my mouth, it is the norm rather than the exception for predators to take their octopus live and whole (if juveniles). I guess I'd have to get angry at the kelp bass and other fish who munch on these cute little critters.

I have eaten octopus both on my international dive trips and right here on Catalina (as restaurant fare). I couldn't capture one and eat it nor would I eat one live if I did.

Of course for those who love lobster, I wonder how the poor crustaceans feels when it hits that pot of boiling water?

 

[fjpatrum]

As someone who has eaten live octopus (though "dying" at the time) it's not that big a deal. It's no different than eating it already dead except the suckers stick to the sides of your mouth a bit.

For those that get indignant about eating such things, I say if you're not a vegan then you're just being a hypocrite. Different cultures eat different things in different ways. I've been fortunate enough to experience many cultures different than my own and I'm always impressed with food. Dogs, cats, horses, rats, octopus, whatever. We are the top of the food chain, and like it or not, that's part of the natural order of things.

Now, talking about how we over farm, over fish, or whatever is another subject, but just complaining that someone eats something you or I find distasteful is not likely to win you a lot of friends in an international forum like this one.

 

[Saltwater Junky]

We are the only creatures that "heavily disrupt" their habitat in the process of catching them.

My point exactly. Why argue if its inhumane or not to eat live octopus. We should be looking for ways to farm raise our food so that we do not harm our environment.

One of these might just take care of itself if we leave all of them be.

Don't think so. Point of fact malaria has been around for thousands of years. The ancient chinese first documented symptoms of malaria. It is now thought that Alexander the Great died from malaria, perhaps contracted during his campaign in India.

 

[knowone]

Was it to preserve culture that we were involved in an action there.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think if something were to chew my arms and legs off I'd prefer to be dead first ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Leejnd]

While I prefer my prey to be quite dead before it reaches my mouth, it is the norm rather than the exception for predators to take their octopus live and whole (if juveniles). I guess I'd have to get angry at the kelp bass and other fish who munch on these cute little critters.

I have eaten octopus both on my international dive trips and right here on Catalina (as restaurant fare). I couldn't capture one and eat it nor would I eat one live if I did.

Of course for those who love lobster, I wonder how the poor crustaceans feels when it hits that pot of boiling water?

I once watched a huge lobster in a lobster trap catch and start eating an octopus that got stuck in there. It was actually pretty cool to watch - nature at its most elemental, predator and prey. I was so fascinated I spent most of my dive watching it! And of course that lobster, being in that trap, was soon going to end up on somebody's plate (probably in Hong Kong, since that's where a large percentage of commercially-caught California Spiny Lobsters are shipped).

As for what lobsters feel when we dump them in the pot...I doubt they like it! I'll ask my next one. Lobster season starts in just a few weeks.

 

[Aigtbootbp]

Hey, the octopus likes to eat seafood live too. Turn about is fairplay ya know

 

[fnfalman]

I've eatened scallops freshly shucked. I've eaten fish freshly fileted from a kill. I've eaten live shrimp in sushi bar (amaebi). Same thing with abalone.

If I were to be able to catch & eat an octopus live, I'd do it too.

Food is food.

And yes, cats & dogs too, but that's more of a last resort thing. Cats and dogs don't taste all that great - rather stringy and gamey. Octopus is tasty. Oh yes, squid too. Lobster & crabs, oh my!!!

 

[C-Weed]

I don't see much of an issue.. I'm also a vegetarian for what its worth (obviously not for ethical reasons). Personally, I wouldn't eat a live octopus but if someone enjoys doing that then all the more power to them. It was the little guys time to go...