Common octopus
What to check for
Location
UK
Technical location
Atlantic, Northeast, Irish Sea, Porcupine Bank, English Channel, Bristol Channel, Celtic Seas, West and Southwest of Ireland, North Sea, Rockall, West of Scotland
Caught by
Bottom trawl (beam)
Rating summary
There is concern for the biomass of common octopus in the UK due to the absence of stock assessments and further biomass information, however there is no concern for fishing pressure. There are no appropriate effective management measures in place for horned octopus in UK or European waters. A Channel demersal non-quota FMP was published that incorporates both horned and common octopus. However, at the time of writing, it is too soon to know whether proposed management measures will be effective in managing the stock. Most common octopus are caught by beam trawls have significant impacts on the seabed, including damage to benthic communities and vulnerable marine habitats. They can also have high bycatch, potentially of vulnerable species.Rating last updated October 2024.
Technical consultation summary
There is concern for the biomass of common octopus in the UK due to the absence of stock assessments and further biomass information, however there is no concern for fishing pressure. There are no appropriate effective management measures in place for horned octopus in UK or European waters. A Channel demersal non-quota FMP was published that incorporates both horned and common octopus. However, at the time of writing, it is too soon to know whether proposed management measures will be effective in managing the stock. Most common octopus are caught by beam trawls have significant impacts on the seabed, including damage to benthic communities and vulnerable marine habitats. They can also have high bycatch, potentially of vulnerable species.
