Help Protect the Giant Pacific Octopus - Sign the petition

[nwscubamom]

Janna: Did you write this petition? Did you inititate it?

No, I did not. Just passing on the info to Scubaboard members in case they are interested.

 

[Drewpy]

@ chrpai..then dont sign it.

Signed..thanks for posting this.

 

[letterboy]

What scientific data is there that the current rate of harvesting is detrimental to the octopus as a species?

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[Captain Bil]

How much for a non resident fishing license? We ain't got no giant octopuses here in Alabama!

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[danvolker]

View attachment 139800

Divers in Washington state are initiating a request for Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to protect the Pacific NW's iconic Giant Pacific Octopus (GPO) at Seattle's Alki Cove 2, a popular dive site and recent location of a controversial GPO removal, and to explore expanding protection to other Puget Sound areas as well.

You don't need to be a diver to sign and voice your concerns. You also don't need to be a resident of Washington to sign this online petition.

(note there is a blurb at the end after you sign, asking for money, but that does NOT go to this effort, but for iPetitions instead, and you can just close out that window)

Petition Giant Pacific Octopus

Thanks for your time and consideration!

- Janna

I signed the petition....While I don't know that the GPO is presently in immediate need for protected status, the opctopus thread on SB clearly shows that the hunters believe that as long as it is LEGAL for them to hunt and kill these octopus, that they can and will , and are happy to see this done to the limit of the law. With that in mind, I believe legal restrictions need to go into place. If the hunters could have policed themselves, and followed common sense guidelines, then their would have been no need for the petition, or the ban.

 

[TSandM]

The petition asks for a no-take zone at the Coves, and for the state to CONSIDER whether protection is needed elsewhere.

I love our octos . . . they are intelligent and amazing creatures, and all of us who dive love to find them. I doubt they need protecting from scuba divers in general. They aren't rare, and people who want to arm-wrestle a 100 pound animal made entirely of muscle in order to harvest something that's inedible without significant preparation aren't all that common. But I don't mind petitioning the State to consider protection, especially if the fallback is a regulation prohibiting hunting in a city park.

 

[Scott L]

What scientific data is there that the current rate of harvesting is detrimental to the octopus as a species?

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Bob's blood pressure has been proven to be negatively affected as well as a new Gallup poll of Octopuses who prefer by a margin of 20 to 1 to remain alive as opposed to dead.

 

[nimoh]

I signed it.

Even though I don't hunt (land or sea), I don't have a problem with anyone that hunts responsibly.

I signed the petition assuming there are other places to hunt for GPOs, and so that when I make it out to Seattle each summer for some diving that I am sure to have a place to see GPOs. I don't see this petition as a slippery slope resulting in banning hunting in the entire area.

 

[haumana ronin]

Is there a way to sign the first part and sign against the second? It makes me think that their concerns (sometimes not stated in the best way) over at spearboard could be justified...

:zen:

 

[Gdog]

I kinda feel the way you do too, Haumana ronin, but I seriously doubt there will be much evaluation into ending all harvesting of GPO. Their population is simply too healthy to put much weight into ending the take of GPO. The weight of the petition is to protect the area known as Cove 2 from harvest. This is probably the most popular dive site close to seattle proper, and many many new divers get their first introduction to the world underwater at this site. This is the primary interest of the majority of members of NWDC, and is a worthwhile effort for all divers. The hubub over the take of the octo there has been way overblown by both sides. To protect this specific area would really be for the good of all.