Every October 8th, the World Octopus Day, a date that highlights the science, conservation, and social impact of one of the planet's most unique invertebrates. This cephalopod fascinates with its ingenuity, camouflage, and way it interacts with its environment.
The anniversary, also known as International Octopus Day, serves as a platform for researchers, fishermen, and citizens, and provides an opportunity to review what we know about its biology, how its fishing is managed, and what challenges lie ahead in a changing ocean.
What World Octopus Day Commemorates
The initiative was born in the specialized community TONMO (The Octopus News Magazine Online) with the idea of disseminate knowledge and promote the conservation of octopuses and their habitat. The goal is simple: bring science closer to society and encourage responsible practices that guarantee their future.
During this day the ecological role of the octopus is highlighted as population regulator of crustaceans and small fish, its cultural and gastronomic importance in many coastal regions and the need to protect the marine ecosystems on which it depends.
A brain in each arm: this is how they feel and decide
Recent research has shown that the octopus's nervous system works in a distributed manner: each arm has millions of neurons capable of operating semi-autonomously, which allows quickly answers without waiting for orders from the central brain.
A landmark study published in the journal Cell and released by Harvard detailed a family of receptors on suction cups, the so-called chemoattractant receptors, which combine touch and something similar to taste to identify poorly soluble molecules in water present on surfaces and prey.
By cloning these receptors and introducing them into model systems, the team found that they are activated by compounds such as terpenoids, while typical water-soluble substances, such as salts and sugars, do not trigger a signalIn aquariums, octopuses responded only to areas with these molecules.
The diversity of responses from these sensors and their dialogue with the arm's nervous system help explain complex behaviors: each limb can explore, discriminate, and make local decisions, and at the same time coordinate with the rest when the situation demands it.
Amazing Skills: Memory and Tools
Beyond their suction cups, octopuses are notable for their learning. They have been observed solving mazes, opening containers, and remembering strategies for days, a rare ability in invertebrates and linked to their plastic behavior.
In nature, different species build dens, block entrances with stones, and use available elements as protection. The most famous case is that of Amphioctopus marginatus, which collects coconut shells to use as a portable shelter, a behavior that denotes planning and spatial understanding.
Their repertoire also includes changes in color and texture in milliseconds to camouflage or communicate, as well as ingenious defensive strategies that underline their practical intelligence in complex environments.
Genetics and neuronal plasticity
At the molecular level, research cited by scientific media indicates prominent activity of LINE family transposons in octopus brain regions related to learning and memory. These mobile elements could contribute to their neural flexibility and rapid adaptation to changing stimuli.
These findings fit with the idea of ​​a highly dynamic nervous system that, together with the chemotactile sensitivity of the suction cups and the distributed control of the arms, provides the octopus with a cognitive repertoire. unusual among invertebrates.
Fishing and sustainability: Yucatán and other latitudes
In Mexico, especially in Yucatán, the octopus fishery is crucial for thousands of families. In recent campaigns, annual production has exceeded 24.000 tons and in 2024–2025 it will be around 28.000, with approximately 70% destined for export towards markets such as Spain, Italy and Japan.
The capture season runs from August 1 to December 15, while the closed season extends from December 16 to July 31, a measure that allows the recuperación of the populations and helps sustain the activity. In the first months of the campaign, high volumes have been recorded thanks to favorable environmental conditions.
Conservation faces growing challenges. Studies in Marine Pollution Bulletin document that at least 24 species of cephalopods resort to marine debris (bottles, cans, plastics) as shelter or support for laying eggs due to the lack of natural shells, a symptom of the pressure that pollution exerts on habitats.
In addition to contact with toxic compounds and heavy metals, the degradation of seagrass meadows and reefs threatens the species. Respecting closed seasons, reducing marine litter, and promoting responsible fishing are essential steps to ensure sustainability.
In the northeast Atlantic, Galicia has reported improved catches after extending fishing stops and adjusting management, with larger numbers and greater abundance upon reopening the season; in contrast, some fleets, such as the Asturian fleet, have warned of low presence this year, reinforcing the need for adaptive measures by area.
Market, consumption and climate change
The Globefish unit (FAO) notes that many countries are reinforcing bans and reforms to ensure sustainability in a context of high demand and limited supply. Morocco and Mauritania stand out as suppliers to the European market; Vietnam and China also have global clout.
Spain is among the main importers and re-exporters of processed products, with shipments to Italy, Portugal, and the United States. Meanwhile, Spanish household consumption of octopus and squid fell by 5,6% year-on-year to 28,16 million kilos, with spending down 1,5% (€456,2 million) and the average price up 4,3%. preserves suffered steeper declines.
Warming seas are altering distribution: an octopus 'bloom' has been described in British waters linked to high temperatures, a phenomenon that benefits local catches but adds volatility to the availability global, warns FAO.
World Octopus Day reminds us that the combination of scientific advances, fisheries management with effective closures and pollution reduction is the way for this invertebrate, so witty as vulnerable, continue to inhabit our seas and support the communities that depend on it.
