Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan bill Friday that makes breeding octopuses for human consumption a crime in California.

The new law makes it illegal to breed and breed octopuses in state waters or in land aquaculture ponds within the state. It also prevents business owners and operators from knowingly participating in the sale of an octopus that has been bred for human consumption, regardless of its origin.

The law recognizes that octopuses are “highly intelligent, curious, problem-solving animals” that are conscious and sentient and experience “pain, stress and fear, as well as joy, equanimity and social bonding.” It goes on to note that these eight-legged marine invertebrates have demonstrated long-term memory in research studies as well as the ability to recognize individual humans.

In an experiment at the Seattle Aquarium, two people were introduced to eight giant Pacific octopuses over a two-week period. One of them always approached with food in his hand, which they gave to the octopuses. The others carried a bristly stick with which they scratched the cephalopods’ sensitive skin.

After two weeks, the octopuses’ reactions to the two people were significantly different. When the stick carrier approached, the animals moved away and aimed their water jets at the perpetrator so that they could quickly escape if necessary. But when the feeder called, they strolled to the side of the tank and turned their jets away.

Supporters of the new law said it positions California as a leader in humane aquaculture. They point to a growing body of research showing that farming octopuses for food is cruel, inefficient and harmful to the environment.

California is now the second state after Washington to ban octopus farming. Similar legislation has also been introduced in the U.S. Senate and in Hawaii.

“We know that what happens in California impacts what happens at the federal level,” Jennifer Jacquet, a professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami, said as the bill was approved by lawmakers. “Americans want to keep octopuses wild.”