🔗 Share this article 2025 Hailed as 'The Octopus Year' Along England's Southern Shores. Exceptionally high sightings of one of the world's most intelligent invertebrates this past summer have resulted in the naming of 2025 as “the year of the octopus” in a yearly report of Britain’s seas. A Perfect Storm Driving a Surge A mild winter and then a very warm springtime prompted unprecedented numbers of common octopuses (*Octopus vulgaris*) to establish themselves along the shores from Cornwall to Devon, spanning the Cornish and Devonian coasts. “The scale of the catch was approximately 13 times what we would normally expect in Cornish waters,” explained a marine life specialist. “Based on the totals, nearly a quarter of a million octopuses were present in these waters this year – which is a significant rise from what is typical.” The Mediterranean octopus is found in UK waters but ordinarily in such small numbers it is seldom observed. A sudden increase is caused by a combination of a mild winter and favorable spring temperatures. These ideal conditions meant a higher survival rate for young, possibly in part fuelled by significant populations of a favored prey species noted in recent years. A Historic Event The last time, an octopus bloom of this size was observed in the 1950s, with historical records indicating the one before that happened in 1900. The huge numbers of octopuses meant they could be easily spotted in nearshore environments for a rare occurrence. Diver videos show octopuses congregating together – unlike their typical solitary behavior – and moving along the ocean floor on their tentacle tips. One creature was even seen investigating an underwater camera. “During a first dive in that area this year I saw multiple octopuses,” the specialist continued. “And these are big. Two kinds exist in these waters. The curled octopus is quite small, football-sized, but these newcomers can be up to a metre and a half wide.” Future Prospects and Other Surprises A second gentle winter going into 2026 could lead to another surge in 2026, because based on records, in similar situations, the blooms have repeated for two years in a row. “Still, the chances are low, from previous blooms, that it will go on for a long time,” they stated. “The ocean is full of surprises at the moment so it’s quite an unpredictable situation.” The report also noted further encouraging coastal sightings around the UK coastline, including: Unprecedented numbers of gray seals recorded in Cumbria. Record numbers of puffins on Skomer. The initial discovery of the *Capellinia fustifera* nudibranch in Yorkshire, normally residing farther south. A type of blenny found off the coast of a southern county for the inaugural time. Not All Positive News Not everything was good news, however. “The calendar year was marked by marine incidents,” stated an expert. “A significant shipping incident in March and the release of industrial pellets off the southern coast highlighted ongoing threats. Staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to safeguard and rehabilitate our shorelines.”
Exceptionally high sightings of one of the world's most intelligent invertebrates this past summer have resulted in the naming of 2025 as “the year of the octopus” in a yearly report of Britain’s seas. A Perfect Storm Driving a Surge A mild winter and then a very warm springtime prompted unprecedented numbers of common octopuses (*Octopus vulgaris*) to establish themselves along the shores from Cornwall to Devon, spanning the Cornish and Devonian coasts. “The scale of the catch was approximately 13 times what we would normally expect in Cornish waters,” explained a marine life specialist. “Based on the totals, nearly a quarter of a million octopuses were present in these waters this year – which is a significant rise from what is typical.” The Mediterranean octopus is found in UK waters but ordinarily in such small numbers it is seldom observed. A sudden increase is caused by a combination of a mild winter and favorable spring temperatures. These ideal conditions meant a higher survival rate for young, possibly in part fuelled by significant populations of a favored prey species noted in recent years. A Historic Event The last time, an octopus bloom of this size was observed in the 1950s, with historical records indicating the one before that happened in 1900. The huge numbers of octopuses meant they could be easily spotted in nearshore environments for a rare occurrence. Diver videos show octopuses congregating together – unlike their typical solitary behavior – and moving along the ocean floor on their tentacle tips. One creature was even seen investigating an underwater camera. “During a first dive in that area this year I saw multiple octopuses,” the specialist continued. “And these are big. Two kinds exist in these waters. The curled octopus is quite small, football-sized, but these newcomers can be up to a metre and a half wide.” Future Prospects and Other Surprises A second gentle winter going into 2026 could lead to another surge in 2026, because based on records, in similar situations, the blooms have repeated for two years in a row. “Still, the chances are low, from previous blooms, that it will go on for a long time,” they stated. “The ocean is full of surprises at the moment so it’s quite an unpredictable situation.” The report also noted further encouraging coastal sightings around the UK coastline, including: Unprecedented numbers of gray seals recorded in Cumbria. Record numbers of puffins on Skomer. The initial discovery of the *Capellinia fustifera* nudibranch in Yorkshire, normally residing farther south. A type of blenny found off the coast of a southern county for the inaugural time. Not All Positive News Not everything was good news, however. “The calendar year was marked by marine incidents,” stated an expert. “A significant shipping incident in March and the release of industrial pellets off the southern coast highlighted ongoing threats. Staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to safeguard and rehabilitate our shorelines.”