Since 2021, octopus landings by UK vessels into UK ports have climbed from around 220 tonnes per year on average to over 3,700 tonnes, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said on Friday, October 16.
The figures came after fishermen, fisheries managers and scientists met at a Defra-hosted conference on October 15 to examine the rise in octopus numbers off England's south-west coast.
Fishermen and fisheries managers told the conference that octopus consumption had decimated shellfish stocks. They also reported tension and safety concerns as more boats worked the same fishing grounds.
Some fishermen have gained a valuable new fishery from the larger octopus catches. Others who depend on shellfish raised concerns about damage to their existing businesses.
"They are both a threat and an opportunity for fishermen and a massive challenge for fisheries management," said Mike Cohen, CEO of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations (NFFO). He noted that the industry had proposed the conference.
Scientists presented evidence on environmental drivers, stock dynamics, what further research is needed and how the fishery might be managed. International experts discussed the bloom's effects in Brittany and experience from Spain and Australia.
Defra and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will publish a summary of the discussions and feed the findings into future decision-making.
A study published in January surveyed crab and lobster fishermen in the region. A negative effect on their businesses from January to August 2025 was reported by 57.6 per cent of respondents. The study followed a collaborative research project launched in August 2025 to investigate the bloom.