Eat octopus to save the British crab, say fishermen

Off Dartmouth, Devon, Alan Steer, 56, and his crew pulled almost two tons of octopus by lunchtime as crab stocks along the coast have dwindled. Mediterranean octopuses arrived last year and scientists say they’ve bred in UK waters this year, boosting octopus numbers. Much of the catch—up to 13 per pot—is sold to France and Spain. This year UK octopus landings total about 1,300 tons, while crab catches have fallen sharply worldwide. Octopus blooms are rare, last seen prominently in the 1930s and 1940s. Experts warn there is still much to learn about the phenomenon.