The octopus supply situation has improved, with the main markets importing more octopus than compared with last year. Prices may stabilize after a weak period during the winter.

Vessel owners in Galicia, Spain, have asked authorities to extend the ban on the octopus fishery in order to allow the resource to recover and rebuild. Owners have further requested that the banbe implemented for the trawling fleet as well as for those operating traps.

The winter octopus season in Morocco and Mauritania was robust, with strong landings, resulting in good supply to the Japanese market. In fact, while Japanese imports of octopus had dropped dramatically in 2014, the first quarter of 2015 has brought more product into the Japanese market. Imports during the first three months of the year increased from 10 200 tonne in 2014 to 13 400 tonnes in 2015 (+31%). The main suppliers were Morocco and Mauritania. Mauritania especially increased shipments, from 2 500 tonnes in 2014 to 4 900 tonnes in 2015. This positive trend continued also during the second quarter, where some 21 000 tonnes were exported from Morocco and Mauritania to the Japanese market, an increase of more than 40%.

Prices for octopus from Morocco and Mauritania have been stable throughout the season, however, the good landings at the end of the season have now put pressure on prices, which by the end of the first quarter declined by about JPY 200 per kg compared with November prices. It is expected that prices on the Japanese market will stabilize due to the current low cold storage holdings.

Italian octopus imports also rebounded during the first quarter of 2015, after having been relatively stable in 2014. Imports grew from 10 100 tonnes in the first quarter of 2014 to 13 400 tonnes during the same period in 2015. Morocco strengthened its position as the number one supplier, and Spain and Indonesia both registered increases in export volumes to Italy.

Spanish imports of octopus were even stronger, as imports during the first quarter increased by almost 53%, from 9 100 tonnes in 2014 to 13 900 tonnes in 2015. Again, Morocco was the largest supplier by far, accounting for 59% of total Spanish octopus imports. Mauritania was the second largest supplier, with 2 400 tonnes, and Portugal came in third place with 1 200 tonnes.