This year, an unusual spectacle has unfolded along the southern coast of England, where an “exceptional” number of Mediterranean Octopus have been observed making rare appearances in shallow waters. Known for their intelligence, these elusive creatures are typically found in the warmer regions of the Mediterranean Sea, making their northern migration a noteworthy event.
The Common Octopus, or Mediterranean Octopus, has been seen in the UK before, but the current surge is the largest recorded since 1950. Volunteers have documented a remarkable 1,500 percent increase compared to the 2023 “mini bloom,” capturing rare footage of octopuses engaged in activities like walking, cleaning, and mating. A particularly curious octopus was even seen interacting with an underwater camera.
This surge prompted The Wildlife Trusts to declare 2025 as ‘the Year of the Blooming Octopus’. However, the implications of this phenomenon are under scrutiny.
Why are octopuses appearing in UK waters?
Ruth Williams, marine conservation lead at The Wildlife Trusts, attributes the “population explosion” to various environmental factors, including rising sea temperatures. “Sea temperatures are 1.5 to 3℃ higher than usual in the Southwest and warmer winters allow the octopus eggs to survive at higher rates,” she tells Euronews Green. More research is required to fully understand this bloom.
Global ocean temperatures are rising rapidly, as they absorb excess heat from human-induced greenhouse gases. A 2025 study in Environmental Research Letters reports ocean surfaces are warming four times faster than 40 years ago, with average temperatures reaching unprecedented levels. “If the oceans were a bathtub of water, then in the 1980s, the hot tap was running slowly, warming up the water by just a fraction of a degree each decade,” states lead author Professor Chris Merchant. “But now, the hot tap is running much faster and the warming has picked up speed. The way to slow down that warming is to start closing off the hot tap, by cutting global carbon emissions and moving towards net-zero.”
Impact of the octopus bloom on the UK
While these blooms are natural, the current record-breaking numbers have disrupted the shellfish industry, with reports of catches decreasing by at least 60 percent during the summer. “Octopuses are predators and feed on lobster, crab, and scallops, which are also caught by fishers,” explains Williams. “If the number of octopus continues to increase, then fishers will have to adapt and change their fishery accordingly and there is work underway to look into possible options.” However, Williams notes that this spike in octopus numbers might be temporary, with a possibility of returning to usual levels in the future.
Legal and ethical considerations of octopus fishing in the UK
The decline in shellfish has led to increased demand for octopus in restaurants, offering fishermen a new revenue stream. Over 1,200 tonnes of octopus were caught in UK waters this summer, a significant rise from past years, though it raises concerns among animal-rights activists who advocate for the protection of octopuses from being consumed. In 2021, the UK government revised its Animal Welfare Bill to recognize octopuses as sentient beings, acknowledging their capacity to feel pain. This change prohibits practices such as boiling them alive but stops short of banning their killing. “These are highly intellectual animals so there is a welfare issue, as with many animals caught or farmed for food production,” Williams adds.
Original Story at www.euronews.com