2025 Declared The Year for Octopuses Off England's Southern Shores.

Exceptionally high observations of a remarkably clever cephalopod during the summer season have resulted in the declaration of 2025 as the year for octopuses in a seasonal assessment of UK coastal waters.

A Confluence of Factors for a Population Boom

A mild winter coupled with an exceptionally warm spring triggered a massive influx of *Octopus vulgaris* to establish themselves along the southern coastline of England, across the southwestern peninsula.

“The reported landings was of the order of about thirteen times what we would typically see in the waters around Cornwall,” explained a marine life specialist. “When we added up the numbers, nearly a quarter of a million octopuses were caught in these waters this year – which is a significant rise from the norm.”

*Octopus vulgaris* is indigenous to British seas but typically so rare it is infrequently encountered. An explosive growth is attributed to a combination of a mild winter and a warm breeding season. Such favorable circumstances meant a higher survival rate for young, maybe aided by significant populations of spider crabs also recorded.

A Historic Event

The last time, an octopus bloom of this size was documented in 1950, with past documentation indicating the last bloom prior to that was in 1900.

The remarkable abundance of octopuses meant they could be frequently seen in coastal areas for the first time in recent history. Underwater recordings show octopuses congregating together – they are usually solitary – and “walking” along the ocean floor on the tips of their limbs. One individual was even filmed grabbing submarine recording equipment.

“On my initial dive off the Lizard peninsula this year I saw five octopuses,” the officer added. “They are sizeable. We have two species in UK waters. The curled octopus is quite small, the size of a ball, but the *Octopus vulgaris* can be up to a metre and a half wide.”

Looking Ahead & Coastal Highlights

Another mild winter going into 2026 meant it was possible a second bloom the following year, because historically, in similar situations, events have occurred consecutively for two years running.

“Still, the chances are low, from previous blooms, that it will persist indefinitely,” they cautioned. “Marine life is unpredictable at the moment so it’s quite an unpredictable situation.”

The annual review also highlighted other “surprises, successes and joyful moments” across British shores, including:

• Highest-ever counts of gray seals recorded in one northern region.
• Peak numbers of the iconic seabirds on Skomer.
• The first recording of the *Capellinia fustifera* nudibranch in Yorkshire, normally residing farther south.
• A type of blenny discovered off the coast of a southern county for the inaugural time.

Not All Positive News

The year had its low points, however. “The calendar year was marked by environmental disasters,” stated an expert. “A major tanker collision in the North Sea and an accidental discharge of plastic pollution off the Sussex coast highlighted ongoing threats. Staff and volunteers are making huge efforts to defend and heal our shorelines.”