Octopus populations are multiplying on the British coast, now extending from Devon and Cornwall, in southwest England, to the Scottish coast, due to warming waters, according to a study published by scientists from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the University of Plymouth. Researchers noted that, off the southwest coast of England, some divers report seeing between five and ten octopuses in a single dive, something that was almost impossible a few years ago.
The abundance of this mollusk transformed the local fishing industry, as shellfish catches by fishermen declined while octopus catches soared. Azul contacted Rui Rosa, a scientist in the biology department of the Faculty of Science at the University of Lisbon and Mare (Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences), who confirmed that “there is no evidence that this phenomenon is occurring on our coasts”. “What is happening now in the United Kingdom has happened in the past, but not to this magnitude,” he added.
“It’s extraordinary. We’ve had proliferations before, but everything indicates that this is the biggest we’ve ever seen. It’s completely different,” said Bryce Stewart, senior researcher at MBA and lead author of the studywhich was based on scientific analysis and observations by divers.
The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is also native to UK waters, but is generally found in such small numbers that it is rarely sighted. This sudden increase in the population of this cephalopod mollusk is due to a combination of a mild winter followed by a warm spring breeding season.
“Now that we have warmer waters that are much more suitable for these animals, we are seeing a huge increase in their numbers,” Stewart explained.
This increase has had a mixed impact on fishermen. Those who rely on traditional seafood have been severely affected, as octopuses, highly efficient predators, feed on crabs and lobsters, often caught in fishermen’s traps.
Other fishermen, however, have adapted and are now reaping big profits from record octopus catches.
Stewart said that last week at Brixham market in Devon, where most of the catch is sold, 100 tonnes of octopus were sold in a single day, a record number.
