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Increasingly rare
In the French Mediterranean, the common octopus ( Octopus vulgaris ) is becoming increasingly rare. Unlike the Atlantic coast, where populations are increasing, they are falling sharply on the Mediterranean coast, a phenomenon that has already been documented and is a source of concern for fishermen, biologists and marine area managers.
Every summer, from June 1 to September 30, recreational octopus fishing is banned in the waters of the Parc national de Port-Cros (heartland and adjacent marine area) and the Parc national des Calanques. This measure, in place since 2016, is issued by prefectoral decree and carries penalties of up to ?22,500 for poaching.
Vulnerable to fishing pressure
The aim is clear: to protect the species during its breeding season, the most critical period in its life cycle. The breeding season for Mediterranean octopus runs from June 1 to September 30. During these summer months, females need calm and stability to lay and guard their eggs, a phase during which they become extremely vulnerable to fishing pressure. Summer protection therefore aims to ensure that this essential time is not compromised by massive harvesting.
Protection to be extended?
However, current regulations remain limited both geographically and temporally. They only cover part of the Var and Marseille coastline, leaving out many areas where pressure from recreational fishing and underwater hunting can have a local impact on populations.
There have already been calls for more extensive protection, or even a general ban along the entire French Mediterranean coastline, in particular through prefectoral measures. But such a measure presupposes a new regulatory framework, a solid scientific assessment and political arbitration between conservation and leisure uses.
The actual construction of the ban also shows that it was negotiated with leisure fishing federations and clubs, which no doubt explains its sectorized perimeter rather than a total closure. This creates a situation where protection exists, but in a fragmented way: strong in the heart of the parks, limited in adjacent areas, and absent from many other parts of the Mediterranean coastline.
Going even further?
The question of extending the ban period and enlarging the zone therefore arises all the more forcefully. Extending the period beyond September 30, or extending it to other departments in the Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Vaucluse or Estérel, could reinforce the protection of the species and improve the resilience of local populations. This would require further consultation, new decrees and more detailed ecological monitoring, but in theory there's nothing to prevent it.
Given the fragility of the octopus in the Mediterranean, isn't it time to go further than the current protection, limited to a few areas and a few months? The answer will depend on political will, the results of scientific monitoring and acceptability to sea users.
