2025 Declared The Year for Octopuses Along Britain's Southern Shores.

Exceptionally high observations 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 an annual review of Britain’s seas.

A Perfect Storm Driving a Surge

A gentle winter and then an exceptionally warm spring triggered unprecedented numbers of *Octopus vulgaris* to settle along England’s south coast, across the southwestern peninsula.

“The scale of the catch was of the order of about 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 UK waters this year – that’s a huge increase from the norm.”

*Octopus vulgaris* is native to British seas but usually so scarce it is rarely seen. A sudden increase is caused by a combination of a mild winter and a warm breeding season. This perfect scenario meant increased juvenile survival, potentially supported by abundant stocks of other marine life seen in the area.

An Uncommon Occurrence

The last time, such an octopus proliferation of this size was recorded in the 1950s, with archival data indicating the last bloom prior to that was in the turn of the 20th century.

The huge numbers of octopuses meant they could be readily observed in coastal areas for a rare occurrence. Diver videos show octopuses gathering in groups – they are usually solitary – and “walking” along the ocean floor on their tentacle tips. One individual was even recorded reaching for a diver's camera.

“The first time I dived in that area this year I saw five octopuses,” they noted. “They are large specimens. We have two species in UK waters. One species is rather small, football-sized, but these newcomers can be reaching impressive sizes.”

Looking Ahead & Coastal Highlights

If conditions remain mild going into 2026 meant it was possible another surge the following year, because in the past, in similar situations, events have occurred consecutively for two years in a row.

“Still, the chances are low, looking at history, that it will persist indefinitely,” they cautioned. “Marine life is unpredictable currently so it’s quite an unpredictable situation.”

The annual review also celebrated further encouraging coastal sightings along the coast, including:

• A record number of grey seals observed in one northern region.
• Record numbers of puffins on a Welsh island.
• The first recording of an unusual mollusc in Yorkshire, typically a southwestern species.
• A variable blenny spotted off the coast of a southern county for the first time.

A Note of Caution

The year had its low points, however. “The year was bookended by marine incidents,” noted a conservation leader. “A significant shipping incident in the North Sea and the release of plastic pollution off the southern coast served as stark reminders. Conservation teams are putting in immense work to safeguard and rehabilitate our coasts.”