Fishermen in Plymouth, Devon, are sounding the alarm over a devastating octopus invasion that threatens their livelihoods. The crisis has been exacerbated by recent conservation measures deemed overly restrictive, which have allowed these voracious predators to feast on the local crab population unimpeded. This came to a head just a week after Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, unveiled a contentious post-Brexit fishing deal that has further inflamed tensions within the fishing community.

Recent conservation rules require local fishermen to leave small escape gaps in their crab and lobster pots, designed to allow undersized shellfish to escape. However, this same allowance has enabled the Octopus Vulgaris—a highly efficient predator—to invade these pots, consuming not just crabs but a range of other shellfish. As Claire Tapper, owner of the family-run business Cracking Crab, lamented, "We haven’t seen any crab in two months, and we’re thinking of packing it all in." Historically, her two boats would return with up to 14 bins of crab daily, but now even a couple of bins in a week feels like wishful thinking. Tapper drew attention to the long-term ramifications of the octopus predation, noting, "If they have eaten the juveniles, that’s it because where do the new stocks come from?"

The situation has been further complicated by the recent announcement regarding fishery regulations. While fishermen in Cornwall are allowed to secure pots without escape gaps, their counterparts in Devon face considerable losses as they contend with the octopus invasion. Feedback from local fishermen indicates that they have suffered an 80% reduction in crab catches, translating to significant financial losses. One anonymous fisherman remarked, "In Plymouth, we have to have an escape hatch but Cornwall doesn’t. We don’t see a lot of the octopus, but you can tell they have been because there is no crab left."

The ongoing pressure has prompted fishermen to reach out to local authorities. Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, expressed his concern that these conservation rules were doing "more harm than good." He pointed out the disparity among regions, saying, "Here, our pots are being raided and left empty—and our fishers are left with nothing."

Compounding these problems, the new EU fishing deal announced by Starmer has intensified frustrations. The agreement includes a 12-year extension allowing EU vessels to operate in British waters—a move many fishermen perceive as a betrayal of their interests in favour of broader economic cooperation. Critics of the deal, including members of Starmer's own party and right-wing figures like Kemi Badenoch, have labelled it a "sellout." They argue that it represents a return to the UK's status as a "rule-taker" in relation to EU directives, undermining Britain's sovereignty over its waters.

Despite Starmer claiming that the measures would lead to economic benefits estimated at £9 billion annually by 2040 and help reduce trading frictions, the fishing community remains sceptical. The deal also incorporates provisions for a security partnership and mutual youth mobility schemes, but these additional features do little to assuage concerns among local fishermen, who feel their voices were sidelined in the negotiations.

In light of the current situation, fishermen such as Brian Tapper have expressed their dismay, describing the octopuses' voracity: "They're coming in the side hatch—it's like McDonald's for them." Meanwhile, Barry Young from Brixham Trawler Agents referred to the crisis as "decimating the crab fishery" along the Devon coastline. As the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority prepares to revisit the rules next month, the fishing community is left hoping for a swift resolution to ensure their future sustainability amid growing tensions over fishing rights and conservation strategies.

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Source: Noah Wire Services