Octopus scarce in Spain, booming across British waters

While in Spain demand for octopus exceeds supply, the United Kingdom is experiencing an unprecedented expansion of its population, reaching coasts never explored before.

## Octopus, a scarce commodity on the peninsula

The apparent contradiction between abundance and scarcity shows itself in the world of octopus. In the bars of **Madrid**, the difficulty of finding this cephalopod on the menu has become a constant, reflecting demand that far exceeds available supply. This situation contrasts with news arriving from other latitudes, where octopus populations appear to be in full swing.

## Unprecedented expansion in British waters

The **United Kingdom** is witnessing a proliferation of octopus that scientists describe as unprecedented. The **Marine Biological Association** has confirmed that the octopus boom has completed its expansion along the entire British coast, formally reaching the coasts of **Scotland** and **Wales**. This biological phenomenon has no precedent in historical records.

## Changes in catches and the business

Meanwhile, the situation in other areas shows different dynamics. In **Galicia**, the decline in octopus is palpable, but **Segarro** expects a **13%** increase in catches of this cephalopod during the summer of **2026**. On the other hand, in the **Canary Islands**, the octopus business has shifted toward the financial sector, with **China** dominating transactions and bank guarantees being used instead of physical landings at the ports.