lundysd 4 Posted November 3, 2012 Fellow dive photo geeks, Last Wednesday (Oct 31), my Seattle-based dive buddy and I witnessed a pair of young gentleman violently taking a 70lb giant pacific octopus (GPO) from a very well-known dive site (Alki Beach) and throwing it in the back of their pickup truck (for more information visit http://www.raptureof...eep.net/alkigpo). Quite surprisingly this species has been given very little protection, and GPO harvesting is completely legal year-round in the state of Washington. While their behavior is not technically illegal, the event has ignited a huge nationwide controversy and the story has been picked up by several national news agencies including the Associated Press. Rather than dwelling on the negative aspects of this event, however, we have begun a campaign to change these archaic laws and limit the harvesting of GPOs from this and potentially other popular dive sites. Many of you have visited the Pacific Northwest in search of these majestic creatures, and I would like to respectfully ask for your help in petitioning our state fisheries department to change the rules on GPO harvesting. The link can be found at the following site: http://www.divenewsn...84-save-the-gpo Thanks for your help in saving one of the most amazing underwater creatures I know of! Scott Lundy Rapture of the Deep Digital Media www.raptureofthedeep.net 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllisonFinch 7 Posted November 3, 2012 I've been following this situation. Pathetic young man....petition signed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Bantin 101 Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) Man's inhumanity. Pretty horrible - but have you seen what's going on elsewhere? Man's inhumanity to man. For example, Syria. I'm doing my best to stop fishing in the Egyptian Matine Parks but I wonder if that will be relevant if the bad people in Egypt get their way with the foreigners. https://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/world/2012/nov/02/foreign-office-raises-egypt-terror-threat Edited November 3, 2012 by John Bantin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
debersole 3 Posted November 3, 2012 Petition signed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kc_moses 142 Posted November 5, 2012 Which part of "Leave your bubble, take only photo" does diver not understand? http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/40201/divers+capture+of+a+beloved+giant+pacific+octopus+sparks+outrage/ Is it young and wreckless? Or just bad scuba training? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DamonA 7 Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) Signed. I like David Suzuki's saying; "think globally, act locally" 1st March next year is the end of marine collecting at my favorite local reef, it's taken some time to open the government's eyes to this hidden exploitation of the environment. Edited November 5, 2012 by DamonA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
guyharrisonphoto 21 Posted November 6, 2012 Signed, From Florida! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Douglas 16 Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) Scott, Can't belief the arrogance of those 'not real divers' Signed in San Diego Steve Edited November 7, 2012 by Steve Douglas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lundysd 4 Posted November 8, 2012 Thanks everyone! We're taking this to the Dept of Fish and Wildlife tomorrow in hopes of getting an emergency ban on GPO harvest at this dive site. Hopefully this will go well and we can open a dialogue about larger changes in the future. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
njcfm 0 Posted November 16, 2012 signed, from bermuda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blue Screen Productions 1 Posted May 28, 2013 "They value the life of an octopus and they are threatening a family" Tha octopus is more intelligent, rarer and more important than he is. IMO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
