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

Exceptionally high observations of one of the world's most intelligent invertebrates over the summer months have prompted the naming of 2025 as the year for octopuses in a yearly report of Britain’s seas.

A Confluence of Factors Driving a Surge

An unusually warm winter coupled with a remarkably hot spring triggered a huge population of common octopuses (*Octopus vulgaris*) to establish themselves along the southern coastline of England, from Penzance in Cornwall to south Devon.

“The scale of the catch was approximately 13 times what we would usually anticipate in this region,” explained a marine conservation officer. “Calculating the figures, around 233 thousand octopuses were caught in British seas this year – representing a massive jump from what is typical.”

*Octopus vulgaris* is indigenous to these waters but typically so rare it is rarely seen. A population bloom is the result of the dual effect of a mild winter and a warm breeding season. This perfect scenario meant a higher survival rate for young, maybe aided by significant populations of other marine life seen in the area.

A Rare Phenomenon

The most recent occasion, a population surge of this scale this significant was documented in 1950, with past documentation indicating the previous major event was in 1900.

The remarkable abundance of octopuses meant they could be frequently seen in coastal areas for the first time in recent history. Video footage show octopuses being sociable – they are usually solitary – and “walking” along the ocean floor on their arm ends. A curious octopus was even filmed grabbing submarine recording equipment.

“The first time I dived in that area this year I saw five of these creatures,” they noted. “They are large specimens. We have two species in UK waters. The curled octopus is smaller, the size of a ball, but these common octopuses can be up to a metre and a half wide.”

Future Prospects and Other Surprises

If conditions remain mild going into 2026 meant it was possible a second bloom the following year, because based on records, under these conditions, events have occurred consecutively for two years in a row.

“But, it's improbable, based on past events, that it will go on for a long time,” they said. “The ocean is full of surprises currently so it’s quite an unpredictable situation.”

The report also celebrated further encouraging coastal sightings across British shores, including:

• Highest-ever counts of grey seals seen in Cumbria.
• Peak numbers of puffins on an island off Wales.
• The initial discovery of a rare sea slug in a northern county, typically a southwestern species.
• A variable blenny found off the coast of Sussex for the first time.

A Note of Caution

Not everything was good news, however. “The calendar year was marked by marine incidents,” noted a conservation leader. “A major tanker collision in March and a spill of plastic pollution off the southern coast highlighted ongoing threats. Conservation teams are making huge efforts to safeguard and rehabilitate our shorelines.”