Big octopus catch 'does fishing industry a favour'

A massive haul of Mediterranean octopus has helped a Cornish trawler land a catch worth a record £158,000.

The Newlyn-based beam trawler Enterprise was fishing close to the Channel Islands when its crew made the huge catch, a port record in terms of value, crew members said.

About 90% of the catch, some £142,000-worth, was the octopus, which has seen its population explode in UK waters this year.

The influx has caused problems for the shellfish industry in south-west England because octopus eat crabs and lobsters out of fishing pots. Enterprise skipper George Stevens said he had "done the industry a favour" by getting rid of a few.

The 42m (138ft) beam trawler was fishing in an area off the Channel Islands known as the Mare Deep when its nets were filled to bursting with nearly 20 tonnes of octopus.

Skipper George Stevens, who has been at the helm for the last 12 months, said: "The figures were adding up in my head and I thought: 'This is going to be a good payday'.

"I rang one of the crew while he was in the supermarket to tell him how much money I'd just put in his account. I imagine the staff saw some strange reactions.

"The unfortunate thing is that it's been affecting the shellfish industry really badly. But one man's famine is another man's feast and, by getting rid of a few, we've done the industry a favour."

Last month, shellfish fishermen in Devon complained an "invasion" of octopus was "decimating" the industry.

It is thought the octopus is coming from Morocco, as fishermen there are reporting a shortage of the creatures.

Dr Emma Sheehan, associate professor of marine ecology at the University of Plymouth, said there were "a few possibilities" for octopus appearing in such large numbers.

She said: "Octopuses might be moving into the area because conditions have improved, perhaps due to better food availability or improved habitat quality from better environmental management.

"Another factor could be higher survival rates, especially in early life stages, possibly due to milder winters. Reduced fishing pressure may also be playing a role."

It is not the first time the Enterprise has set a port record for Newlyn - it held the previous record for the biggest haul of £87,000 in 2022.

Mr Stevens said processing the huge catch presented its own challenges.

He said: "These octopus have very big tentacles and they're very grippy.

"My crew only have two arms each and these have eight legs. It was quite entertaining to watch them try to peel them off their bodies.

"They're very fast-moving, were climbing down the elevator, climbing over the bins and up the walls.

"But once they went down to the fish room and touched a bit of ice, they became a bit more sedate."

Paul Trebilcock is the manging director of W Stevenson & Sons Ltd, which owns the vessel.

He said: "The catch was processed at Newlyn fish market and bought by one of the largest suppliers in the South West, Ocean Fish based in Roche, and then the vast majority was exported to Spain, Italy and France.

"We don't see it much in restaurants here. But, who knows, this is a new fishery for us, so maybe in the future we'll see it on plenty of restaurant menus."

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