Octopus traps are prohibited in Greek waters during the species’ reproduction season. Yet thousands of traps continue to be found on the seabed. When traps are abandoned, they can also become a source of plastic pollution and continue to pose a threat to marine life.

In 2025, Sea Shepherd removed 34,546 illegal octopus traps and released 1,584 octopuses. Despite this record result, tens of thousands of illegal traps remain in the Mediterranean. That’s why we’ve returned once again for our fifth expedition to protect Mediterranean octopuses. 

This year’s campaign brings together Sea Shepherd teams from across the Mediterranean, including Sea Shepherd Greece and Sea Shepherd Italy, onboard the Sea Eagle and Conrad, working alongside Greek authorities such as the Hellenic Coast Guard and the Region of East Macedonia and Thrace.

In addition to pulling out traps and releasing octopuses back into the sea, for 2026 we will also be focused on gathering important evidence to help demonstrate the scale of the problem, which will support efforts to strengthen protections for Mediterranean octopuses. In partnership with the Pan-Hellenic Society of Technologists Ichthyologist, crews are mapping areas of seabed and searching for illegal traps, including those that can be difficult to detect. 

Within the first four days of the campaign – launched in early August – our crew had already removed 1,851 illegal traps and released 161 octopuses (most of the octopuses jump out of the trap before we pull them up). This brings the total number of plastic traps removed across our Greek campaigns since 2024 to 43,351, a number that will certainly grow as the campaign continues throughout the octopus breeding season. 

Behind every number are hours spent searching the seabed, recovering heavy lines of traps, checking each one for marine life and releasing every living animal found inside. This work takes determination, but it also requires fuel, equipment, supplies and a vessel ready to return to sea: each day of action costs a lot.

With World Octopus Day approaching on October 8th, we are asking for your help to keep this campaign moving. Donate today to help our crews continue protecting octopuses in the Mediterranean -> DONATE HERE