Octopus: Demand Drives Prices Up, Farming Controversy Resurfaces Morocco and Mauritania, as major suppliers of octopus to Europe, ended their fishing seasons in March and April respectively with good catches. Morocco was originally scheduled to restart its fishing season in June, but it was postponed to July 15 to protect resources, with a summer quota set at 19,650 tons, lower than previous years. Driven by strong demand, Portuguese octopus prices rose 15% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, while Spanish prices increased by 9%. However, household consumption of octopus in Italy and Portugal fell by 7% year-on-year, showing that high prices are suppressing demand at the retail end. In the southwestern waters of the UK, the number of octopuses has surged due to a marine heatwave, known as the "octopus tide." Fishermen benefit from the opportunity to fish without quota restrictions, but resources such as crabs and lobsters are affected by predation. ...