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

Record-breaking observations of one of the world's most intelligent invertebrates this past summer have resulted in the declaration of 2025 as the year for octopuses in a seasonal assessment of UK coastal waters.

A Perfect Storm Driving a Surge

A mild winter and then an exceptionally warm spring triggered unprecedented numbers of Mediterranean octopuses to take up residence along the southern coastline of England, from Penzance in Cornwall to south Devon.

“The reported landings was roughly over a dozen times what we would usually anticipate in Cornish waters,” explained a marine conservation officer. “When we added up the numbers, around 233 thousand octopuses were present in British seas this year – which is a significant rise from historical averages.”

*Octopus vulgaris* is found in British seas but typically so rare it is seldom observed. An explosive growth is the result of a combination of a mild winter and favorable spring temperatures. Such favorable circumstances meant more larvae, potentially supported by significant populations of a favored prey species seen in the area.

A Historic Event

The last time, a population surge of this scale of this size was observed in the mid-20th century, with historical records indicating the last bloom prior to that was in 1900.

The remarkable abundance of octopuses meant they could be readily observed in nearshore environments for a rare occurrence. Video footage show octopuses being sociable – they are usually solitary – and “walking” along the seabed on their arm ends. One creature was even recorded reaching for submarine recording equipment.

“The first time I dived there this year I saw multiple octopuses,” the specialist continued. “And these are big. There are two types in the region. One species is quite small, football-sized, but these common octopuses can be up to a metre and a half wide.”

Predictions and Marine Joy

Another mild winter this coming winter could lead to another surge the following year, because based on records, with such patterns, events have occurred consecutively for two years running.

“However, it is unlikely, based on past events, that it will go on for a long time,” they stated. “The ocean is full of surprises at the moment so it’s hard to forecast.”

The report also celebrated additional positive marine news along the coast, including:

• Unprecedented numbers of gray seals recorded in Cumbria.
• Exceptional populations of puffins on an island off Wales.
• The first recording of an unusual mollusc in a northern county, usually found in the south-west.
• A Mediterranean fish species spotted off the coast of a southern county for the first occasion.

Not All Positive News

Not everything was good news, however. “The year was bookended by marine incidents,” stated an expert. “A significant shipping incident in the North Sea and a spill of tonnes of plastic biobeads off the southern coast were serious issues. Staff and volunteers are making huge efforts to safeguard and rehabilitate our marine habitats.”