2025 Declared the 'Year of the Octopus' Off England's Southern Shores.

Unprecedented sightings of a remarkably clever cephalopod during the summer season have led to the declaration of 2025 as “the year of the octopus” in a seasonal assessment of UK coastal waters.

A Perfect Storm for a Population Boom

A gentle winter coupled with a very warm springtime catalyzed a huge population of Mediterranean octopuses to establish themselves along the southern coastline of England, across the southwestern peninsula.

“The reported landings was approximately thirteen times what we would usually anticipate in the waters around Cornwall,” explained an ocean conservation expert. “When we added up the numbers, approximately 233,000 octopuses were caught in UK waters this year – that’s a huge increase from what is typical.”

*Octopus vulgaris* is native to British seas but usually so scarce it is seldom observed. An explosive growth is the result of the dual effect of gentle winter conditions and a warm breeding season. This perfect scenario meant more larvae, maybe aided by abundant stocks of spider crabs noted in recent years.

A Rare Phenomenon

Previously, such an octopus proliferation of this size was recorded in the 1950s, with past documentation indicating the last bloom prior to that occurred in 1900.

The sheer quantity of octopuses meant they could be easily spotted in shallow waters for the first time in living memory. Diver videos show octopuses congregating together – unlike their typical solitary behavior – and “walking” along the seabed on their arm ends. One creature was even recorded reaching for a diver's camera.

“During a first dive off the Lizard peninsula this year I saw five octopuses,” they noted. “And these are big. There are two types in the region. One species is quite small, about the size of a football, but the *Octopus vulgaris* can be reaching impressive sizes.”

Looking Ahead & Coastal Highlights

Another mild winter going into 2026 meant it was possible another surge in 2026, because based on records, in similar situations, populations have surged again for two consecutive years.

“But, it's improbable, based on past events, that it will persist indefinitely,” they cautioned. “Marine life is unpredictable currently so it’s hard to forecast.”

The annual review also celebrated further encouraging coastal sightings around the UK coastline, including:

• A record number of gray seals seen in one northern region.
• Exceptional populations of the iconic seabirds on Skomer.
• The first recording of an unusual mollusc in a northern county, normally residing farther south.
• A type of blenny discovered off the coast of Sussex for the first time.

Environmental Concerns

Challenges were also present, however. “The calendar year was marked by marine incidents,” noted a conservation leader. “A significant shipping incident in the North Sea and a spill of tonnes of plastic biobeads off the Sussex coast highlighted ongoing threats. Dedicated individuals are making huge efforts to safeguard and rehabilitate our shorelines.”