Overview

• Government data show more than 1,200 tonnes of octopus landed in the first half of 2025, far above the same period in 2023 and 2024, before a sharp drop in July.
• Fishermen along the Devon and south Cornwall coast report crab pots filled with octopuses in May after near-empty months in March and April, followed by another lull last month.
• Local businesses have taken a hit, with a crab processing plant closing and boats idled, as fishers warn of reduced crab and lobster catches.
• Some boats and restaurants temporarily pivoted to octopus sales, but that relief faded as octopus numbers fell in July, adding to market uncertainty.
• A University of Plymouth–led study commissioned by local and national officials is examining causes and persistence, with lead researcher Bryce Stewart citing regional sea warming, historical precedents after past warm periods, and the species’ 18‑month life cycle; he suspects octopus are now reproducing locally and overwintering.