Octopuses invade UK crab pots

When veteran fisherman Brian Tapper checked his 1,200 crab pots in waters off southwest England during this year’s crabbing season, he got a series of unwelcome surprises.

- JOE JACKSON

At first, in March and April, they were almost entirely empty. Then, starting in May, they were unexpectedly packed with octopuses, before sitting largely empty again over the last month or so.

It has been a similar story along the UK’s Devon and southern Cornwall coastline where the seas are warming, and an octopus bloom — the biggest in British waters in 75 years — has left the shellfish industry reeling.

The tentacled molluscs are notoriously voracious eaters, hoovering up crustaceans such as crab and shellfish.

Mr Tapper’s wife has already shuttered her dockside crab processing factory due to the diminished catch, while he doubts he can keep his side of the business afloat.

“It's like a perfect storm for us,” Tapper told AFP from Plymouth Harbour, where his three purpose-built crab fishing vessels are idled.

The 53-year-old estimates his catch is down by half, and risks dropping by four-fifths in 2025.

An 18-month marine heatwave in the region and beyond is blamed for causing the bloom in warm water-loving octopus.

Climate scientists say human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, is behind global warming which is driving up ocean temperatures.

“I've been fishing here 39 years and I've never seen octopus like this,” Mr Tapper said.