2025 Hailed as the 'Year of the Octopus' Off England's South Coast.

Unprecedented encounters of one of the world's most intelligent invertebrates over the summer months have prompted the declaration of 2025 as the year for octopuses in an annual review of UK coastal waters.

A Perfect Storm Leading to an Explosion

A mild winter and then a very warm springtime prompted a massive influx of common octopuses (*Octopus vulgaris*) to take up residence along the shores from Cornwall to Devon, spanning the Cornish and Devonian coasts.

“The volume of octopuses caught was roughly 13 times what we would normally expect in the waters around Cornwall,” stated a marine life specialist. “Based on the totals, approximately 233,000 octopuses were present in these waters this year – which is a significant rise from what is typical.”

The Mediterranean octopus is indigenous to these waters but typically so rare it is rarely seen. A sudden increase is attributed to a combination of a mild winter and a warm breeding season. This perfect scenario meant increased juvenile survival, maybe aided by large numbers of spider crabs seen in the area.

An Uncommon Occurrence

The last time, a population surge of this scale this significant was recorded in 1950, with archival data indicating the previous major event happened in the turn of the 20th century.

The sheer quantity of octopuses meant they could be easily spotted in shallow waters for the first time in recent history. Video footage show octopuses being sociable – contrary to their normally lone nature – and ambulating along the bottom on the tips of their limbs. One individual was even recorded reaching for an underwater camera.

“The first time I dived off the Lizard peninsula this year I saw five of these creatures,” the officer added. “They are sizeable. We have two species in the region. One species is smaller, football-sized, but these newcomers can be reaching impressive sizes.”

Looking Ahead & Coastal Highlights

If conditions remain mild going into 2026 could lead to a second bloom the following year, because based on records, with such patterns, the blooms have repeated for two consecutive years.

“But, it's improbable, based on past events, that it will persist indefinitely,” they cautioned. “The ocean is full of surprises these days so it’s a very uncertain scenario.”

The assessment also highlighted additional positive marine news around the UK coastline, including:

• Unprecedented numbers of gray seals observed in one northern region.
• Record numbers of the iconic seabirds on Skomer.
• The initial discovery of an unusual mollusc in a northern county, normally residing farther south.
• A variable blenny found off the coast of Sussex for the inaugural time.

A Note of Caution

Not everything was good news, however. “The year was bookended by ecological challenges,” stated an expert. “A major tanker collision in the North Sea and the release of tonnes of plastic biobeads off the Sussex coast were serious issues. Dedicated individuals are working tirelessly to protect and restore our coasts.”