UK Officials Probe 1,500% Octopus Catch Surge

An unusually warm sea has driven an exceptional octopus boom off southwest Britain: landings have risen nearly 1,500% since 2021 to more than 3,700 tonnes, the largest bloom in the area in at least 75 years. The surge has created a valuable new fishery, with British octopus exports reaching £12.8 million last year, largely on demand from France and Spain. But octopuses prey on shellfish, and fishermen and researchers report damage to crab, lobster and scallop stocks; catches in some fisheries have fallen by 30% to 50%, with more than half of surveyed fishermen reporting negative effects. Fishermen, scientists and regulators met at a government-hosted conference to weigh the opportunity against the threat and inform management of the emerging fishery, as officials seek more information on the rapidly changing marine ecosystem.