A new online portal run by the Marine Management Organisation encourages the public, fishing industries and scientists to post updates on the rise of eight-limbed molluscs.
Sightings of octopus vilgaris, or the common octopus, off the coast of South West England have significantly risen since early 2025. The so-called ‘bloom’ has been spreading northwards from Devon and Cornwall over the past 18 months, with widespread reports of increased numbers across the UK coastline as far up as Scotland.
Warming seas and the marine heatwaves exacerbating the situation are believed to be root causes, but the impact and implications of this are not widely understood. Looking to get a better picture of what is happening, where, why and what that means, the Marine Management Organisation has now launched a page on GOV.UK asking people to provide updates on sightings, numbers, species and other factors linked the phenomenon.
‘The octopus bloom has understandably sparked huge interest, and we want to make sure everyone can easily find reliable, up-to-date information in one place,’ said Tim Dixon, Head of Fisheries Management at MMO. ‘This new webpage does exactly that, and the reporting portal means anyone who spots an octopus can help us build a fuller picture of what’s happening in our waters and respond.’
Alongside members of the public, professionals from the fishing and scientific industries are encouraged to engage by monitoring landings and gathering evidence on the trend. This will help better inform fisheries management plans, which pre-date the increased octopus activity and therefore may need to be altered to better reflect the underwater coastal ecosystem.
You can find the page here.
Image: Dear Sunflower / Unsplash
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