2025 is year of the octopus' as record numbers spotted off England's south coast

"The scale of the catch [recorded by local fishers] was of the order of about 13 times what we would normally expect in Cornish waters, said Matt Slater, a marine conservation officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust. When we added up the numbers, approximately 233,000 octopuses were caught in UK waters this year that's a huge increase from what you would normally expect."

"The ideal conditions meant that more of the larvae of the common octopus were likely to survive, said Slater, possibly in part fuelled by the large numbers of spider crabs that have also been recorded along the south coast in recent years."

"The huge numbers of octopuses along the south coast meant they could be easily spotted in shallow waters for the first time in recent history. Video footage from divers shows octopuses gathering in groups they are usually solitary as well as walking along the seabed on the tips of their limbs. One was even filmed grabbing at an underwater camera."

Record numbers of Mediterranean octopuses occurred along England's south coast from Penzance to south Devon during the summer of 2025. Around 233,000 octopuses were caught in UK waters, roughly 13 times the normal catch in Cornish waters. A mild winter followed by an exceptionally warm spring created ideal breeding conditions, increasing larval survival and possibly aided by abundant spider crabs. The species Octopus vulgaris is native but ordinarily rare in UK waters. Video from divers showed octopuses gathering in groups, walking on limb tips, and interacting with equipment. Comparable blooms were previously recorded in 1950 and 1900.

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