Octopuses, sharks and tuna that are booming in the sea around the UK could be part of a fundamental shift in the marine environment, a leading scientist has told Sky News.
Dr Simon Thomas, from the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth, said a perfect storm of factors, including climate change and overfishing, is leading to a rapid change in the species being found around the coast.
“Since 2016, you’ve seen a lot of our traditional fish, like cod, ling and pollock decreasing in numbers and pushing northwards,” he said.
“Then we’ve seen other fish, especially things like bluefin tuna and blue sharks, being found in huge numbers in the water here.
“It’s almost like you’ve seen a complete shift in the regime of the ocean.”
‘I’ve never seen anything like it’
Fishermen on the south coast of Devon and Cornwall are currently catching huge numbers of a large octopus species that is normally rare in the UK.
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“I’ve never seen anything like it in my lifetime,” said Dr Thomas.
“I’ve spent 40 years at sea and probably seen three or four of the big octopus over the years. Now they are seen regularly and (crab fishermen) are reporting their pots have been decimated.”
The octopuses are raiding crab and lobster pots for an easy meal.
Image: The octopus is a valuable catch
But there are so many of them, and they are so hungry, that fishermen say they are eating not only the bait and crustaceans, but also, at times, each other.
Sam Jago, skipper of the Bosloe, returned to Plymouth after a day’s fishing with 11 crates of octopuses – a 400kg bonanza that could fetch almost £3,000 at market rates.
But he had just over one tub of crabs and lobsters – when normally he’d have more than a dozen.
Image: Warmer waters are increasing the survival of young octopus fry over winter
“They crack the shell and suck everything out of it,” he said.
“It’s a quick buck at the moment, but who knows how long it’s going to last for.
“They will stay here until they’ve eaten everything.
“But if the octopus go, the crab isn’t going to just appear out of thin air.
The Marine Biological Association is studying factors that could underpin the surge in octopus numbers.
The sea around the UK is around 2C warmer than normal. But in the southwest of England the temperature is 3C or even 4C above average for the time of year.
Dr Thomas said warmer waters increase survival of young octopus fry over winter, and a change to ocean currents could bring them more food.
Image: Climate change and overfishing are being blamed for the increase of the octopus species
‘The ocean is changing’
Overfishing of species that would normally eat young octopuses may also mean more are surviving to adulthood.
“There is no doubt that the ocean is changing,” he said.
“Fishermen are like the canaries in the coal mine, the first to see things changing out at sea.”
Scientists say protecting key parts of the ocean as marine nature reserves would serve as a buffer against pressures from human activity elsewhere.
So far, 50 nations plus the EU have ratified the United Nations High Seas Treaty that commits countries to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Another nine need to ratify it for it to become operational.
The UK government has said it will ratify the treaty by the end of the year.
A man has died after suffering cardiac arrest onboard a boat attempting to reach the UK.
The vessel turned back towards Equihen beach on the French coast yesterday morning.
A nurse tried to resuscitate the man but was unsuccessful.
Image: Pic: PA
French authorities have now launched an investigation into the circumstances.
A spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, has criticised authorities on both sides of the Channel.
Jacob Burns said: “Yet again we have a tragedy in the Channel, that is the consequence of the deadly, costly and ineffective security policies implemented by the UK and France.”
Image: Pic: PA
Later on Saturday, a lifeboat carried migrants who have made the voyage into the Port of Dover.
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Photographs showed them huddled under blankets and orange life jackets on board.
“The opportunity of tomorrow and what’s on offer is the best thing in football,” the England captain said. “I think we don’t necessarily carry the weight of it and how much it means to people, but we’re aware of it because it means the same to us.”
So often they were only watching other nations making finals.
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England’s first was the men winning the 1966 World Cup.
Image: England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to defeat against Spain at the Women’s World Cup final in 2023. Pic: Reuters
Image: Lauren James looks dejected after their World Cup defeat, but is confirmed fit for Sunday’s revenge match against Spain. Pic: Reuters
Now, in Basel, comes the chance for revenge against Spain – even though no one in the England camp is saying that, publicly at least, in Switzerland.
Especially knowing how challenging a task it is coming up again against Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putella – the recent winners of football’s biggest individual honours.
Image: England fans celebrating after England beat Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters
Image: Given England’s history against Spain, it could be a nerve-wracking time for England fans. File pic: Action Images/Reuters
But this is Spain’s first Euros final.
And there is some fear from the world champions at England’s grit and resolve to produce comebacks late in the quarter-finals and semi-finals – with 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang’s goals integral to the fightbacks.
Image: England celebrate their semi-final win against Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters
Image: Michelle Agyemang has propelled England to the Euro 2025 final with two vital goals. Pic: AP
Spain captain Irene Paredes reflected yesterday on how the Lionesses can flip a result late on.
But she was also discussing how their World Cup win was tarnished by the on-pitch kiss that led to former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales being convicted of a sexual assault on striker Jenni Hermoso.
It sparked a wider clamour in Spain for improved rights and respect for women.
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Spain’s players struggle for respect
“Since then [2023] we took big steps forward,” Paredes said.
“I think this idea is disappearing from society. I still believe we have to continue opening doors… we’re a reference for boys and girls in society, but we still have things to do.”
It is a reminder that while tonight is about collecting silverware, both England and Spain know that emerging as champions can drive further growth in women’s football back home.
Amid it all, they’ll try to savour just what reaching a final means and how rare they are – until recently for English and Spanish women.
A woman who thought she was being injected with Botox was left unable to swallow and doctors thought she had suffered a stroke – after she contracted a life-threatening illness from a potentially illegal product.
Nicola Fairley is one of dozens of people who have developed botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections.
She had the procedure done with her regular beautician after winning a Facebook competition for three areas of “Botox”.
Image: Nicola Fairley
“Within two or three hours my forehead and the sides of my eyes had started to freeze,” Nicola says.
“At first I thought ‘amazing’, that’s what I wanted – then it just carried on.”
Nicola was eventually sent to A&E in Durham, where she met several other patients who all had similar symptoms.
Doctors were stumped. “They thought I’d had a stroke,” she says.
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“We all had problems with our eyes, some of us with our breathing. I couldn’t swallow – they put me on nil by mouth because they were worried I would choke in the waiting room.”
Image: Doctors were worried Nicola could choke after she was injected with a suspected illegal product
It turns out all of the patients had recently had anti-wrinkle injections containing botulinum toxin.
Health officials believe they were imported, illegal products.
Botulism – the disease they caused – is so rare many doctors never see it in their entire careers.
It can cause symptoms including slurred speech and breathing problems, and can be deadly.
The disease is so unusual, and so many cases were coming in, that doctors exhausted their stocks of anti-toxin and had to ask hospitals as far away as London to get more.
The UK Health Security Agency has so far confirmed 38 cases of botulism linked to cosmetic toxin injections, but Sky News has been told of several more.
The outbreak began in the North East but cases have now been seen in the East of England and East Midlands as well.
There are only a handful of legal botulinum toxin products in the UK – of which Botox is one.
But cosmetic treatments are largely unregulated, with anyone allowed to inject products like fillers and toxins without any medical training.
Cheap, illegal products imported from overseas are easily available.
Image: Dr Steven Land
‘It’s the Wild West’
Dr Steven Land runs Novellus Aesthetics clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked for decades as an emergency medicine doctor before moving into aesthetics.
He says he has been warning health officials of an outbreak for years.
“It’s the Wild West,” Dr Land told Sky News.
“Because anyone can do this, there is a lack of knowledge around what is legal, what’s not legal, what is okay to be injected.
“These illegal toxins could have 50 units, 5,000 units or rat poison – there could be anything in there.”