"Usually, we bring at best about twenty for two and a half days spent at sea. Lately, we have increased to nearly 700 kilos", summarizes Delphine Neau, owner of the "Yann Devi II", a ship based in La Cotinière, on the island of Oléron.
Off the Charente-Maritime to Brittany, fishermen have been encountering a completely new phenomenon since September, an exponential presence of common octopus.
“Last year we counted around 1.8 tonnes of octopus.
Currently, we are already at more than 32 tonnes ”, assures Nicolas Dubois, the director of the port of La Cotinière and its auction where the catches of nearly 120 boats are exchanged.
" It's a good thing "
“We have no rational explanation,” he continues. I spoke to elders about it, they've never seen it. In fact, these nets that nobody knows how to explain have no precedent. “There are everywhere, it's incredible, advance Delphine Neau. Maybe it's global warming? I don't know… ”However, some fishermen see it as a godsend. Because this cephalopod is selling well. “Around 7 euros per kilo at the auction,” explains Nicolas Dubois. The market is buoyant and octopus is valuing well. Spain and Italy would be big importers when, surprisingly, Morocco and Portugal would struggle this year to supply their usual fisheries. Result: "The courses are held", explains the director of the port of La Cotinière. "It's a good deal that suits us,we are seeing less dry and squid at the moment, ”confirms Oléronese Delphine Neau.
Other fishermen warn, however: octopuses have the unfortunate habit of attacking mussels, oysters and scallops whose fishing will begin in November.
“Some even go up in the lobster traps.
The octopus is a very intelligent species, ”emphasizes Nicolas Dubois.
The consequences of this massive presence of cephalopods in our waters could thus be measured more concretely as the end of the year holidays approach.
VIDEO
.
Do octopuses dream?
"Maybe one day we can demonstrate it"
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/KMEYMJKESBAZBE4MRBAM4TGHIQ.jpg)
