The Rodrigues octopus stock has been in steady decline for over two decades, reflected by annual octopus landings dropping from close to 800 tons in 1994 to just over 200 tons in 2011. This has had a negative effect on the financial status of the fisher community, which in turn is affecting the local economy. Seasonal closures of octopus fisheries have been pioneered in other countries in the region, most notably in Madagascar, with positive effects on their octopus stock as well as the quality of life of the fishers engages in the trade. The Rodrigues Regional Assembly has opted for carrying out similar seasonal closures in a bid to rehabilitate the local octopus stock and improve the status of fishers and others involved in the octopus industry. The 2012 closure that took place in winter between the 13th of August and the 12th of October had a marked effect on the landings during that year, increasing by 188 tons compared to 2011. Similarly, octopus exports for the year 2012 increased by 106 tons injecting an additional MUR ~10.6 million into the local economy, bringing the recorded frozen octopus export figure up 185 tons I.E. MUR 18.5 million in revenue to Rodrigues' economy. The work reported here through the population dynamic study of Octopus cyanea by the Shoals Rodrigues team in collaboration with the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, reconverted octopus fishers and active octopus fishers has shown that the two-month winter closure was also a success from a biological point of view. The mean weight of female octopuses caught just after reopening of the fishery rose to 1,721 grams from 752 grams in 2011; similarly, mean male octopus weight increased from 742 to 1,730 grams. In the medium term, the number of juveniles assessed in the study, weighing less than 350 grams between January and April increased from 1,178 in 2012 to 1,707 in 2013; however, a break down of the individual months suggests this may be due to a poor sampling regime in 2012. Summer closure modelling work suggests that octopus double in weight regardless of age within a 5 to 6 week period and that their mean weight also increases from January to April. Consequently a closure at the beginning of the summer would protect the stock more than it would boost landings and conversely, a closure towards the end of summer would have the effect of boosting landings but would not be the best option for protecting new recruits and juveniles. Winter closure date/duration refining work suggests that female octopus weight peaks in late winter and that this should continue to be the preferred period for closures aimed at promoting the migration of females out of the lagoon for reproductive purposes; however, the data does not indicate whether the females are actually leaving the lagoon, therefore a study involving acoustic tagging of female octopuses during the winter period is recommended. In the meantime winter closures should be lengthened as much as reasonably possible, towards the end of the year, to increase the probability of octopus females migrating to lay and brood their eggs, incidentally this will significantly boost landings.