July 2026 has been the month with the world’s seas hitting their hottest surface temperature on record (The Guardian, 2026). Record high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were measured in the Atlantic along the European coast and in the Western Mediterranean (Copernicus, 2026), and SSTs were as much as 6°C hotter than normal in the Mediterranean in June (European Union, 2026).
These extremely high SSTs have had strong impacts on marine ecosystems. In the UK, fishermen have reported an increase in octopuses in their waters, with numbers recorded since April 2026 raising particular concern (Gov.uk, 2026). The movement of marine species northwards into cooler waters is also being observed across European seas, with potential implications for native species (Independent, 2026, Irish Examiner, 2026).
These shifts in marine species distributions may affect the range of fish and crustaceans available for human consumption and aquaculture. Changes in marine food webs have also been observed, with dolphins reportedly feeding on jellyfish as the availability of their usual prey, such as mackerel, declines (BBC, 2026)…
Source: World Weather Attribution
World Weather Attribution
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