UK Fishers Haul 1,000kg Octopus Daily, Shellfish Decline

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Octopus catches in UK waters jumped from zero to 1,000 kilograms daily - what's behind this sudden explosion?

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"We went from catching nothing to catching 1,000 kilograms a day," reveals Devon fisher Alan Steer - but not everyone's celebrating.

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These aren't small creatures - each octopus weighs between 2.5-3.5kg, creating both opportunity and crisis for fishing communities.

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Sea temperatures 1.5-4°C above normal have transformed UK waters into a perfect octopus playground.

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The eight-limbed invaders are decimating shellfish populations, leaving frustrated fishers with 70% fewer crabs and lobsters.

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At Brixham market, 36 tonnes of octopus arrived in a single day - compared to just 200kg this time last year.

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These intelligent creatures slip through escape hatches designed for young crabs, feasting on trapped shellfish before escaping.

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Similar octopus "blooms" happened in 1899, 1950, and 2022 - but why are they occurring more frequently now?

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If history repeats, the octopus boom may disappear after a cold winter - but shellfish stocks could take 3-4 years to recover.

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Regulators and scientists are racing to understand: Is this massive octopus invasion the new normal for UK waters?

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