Overview

• The 45-minute documentary 'Im Einsatz für den Oktopus' premieres on ZDF on Sept. 16 at 22:15 and is available in the broadcaster’s Mediathek.
• Sea Shepherd crews documented large-scale illegal gear in Greek waters during filming, pulling more than 1,600 traps in a single day and rescuing dozens of animals, with up to 500,000 traps suspected on the seafloor.
• Coverage cites roughly five million tonnes of cephalopods taken from the oceans each year, as demand rises and wild stocks face mounting pressure.
• A Spanish company’s plan for the first industrial-scale octopus farm has drawn protests from researchers and environmental groups over animal welfare and the heavy reliance on feed fish for solitary, carnivorous animals.
• Experts featured in the film describe advanced octopus cognition and behavior, while Jaenicke calls for reduced consumption, stronger enforcement, and criticizes the EU response to illegal fishing.