Octopus

[Chase 1]

The octopus rules advisory committee is taking public comment on the possible rule changes being considered by the Commission for octopus fishing... at the Seattle Aquarium?

What? The Aquarium? That is ridiculous! Why not take public comment on the wolf issue at Wolf Haven... or elk hunting rules at NW Trek ... or waterfowl hunting at the Audubon Society, you get the idea. How many pro harvest people will they talk to at the aquarium? If the dive community gets their way octopus harvest will be closed state wide.

Now I have no great stake in this issue, but after a review of the composition of the advisory committee I can't help but be concerned. Very little input from anglers and a huge majority of the members are from the dive community that filed the original three petitions to close the fishery.

As the vote approaches, I hope anglers will take the time to write a comment to the Commission (at the link below) that asks them to continue to manage this fishery based on abundance.

http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/octopus/comments.html

the commission approved a list of four options for managing Puget Sound's giant Pacific octopus population that will be submitted for public comment this month. Those options, developed by WDFW in consultation with a 12-member citizen advisory group, range from one that would make no change in current rules to a ban on harvesting octopuses anywhere in Puget Sound.
 
Under current rules, a person with a valid state fishing license can harvest one giant Pacific octopus per day in most areas of Puget Sound.

The commission called for a review of those rules after the legal harvest of a giant Pacific octopus near Alki Point in Seattle sparked a public outcry last October. The commission received three petitions signed by hundreds of scuba divers and other members of the public seeking protection for octopuses from recreational harvest.
 
WDFW has scheduled two workshops to solicit public input on the issue at the following locations and times:
•Port Townsend, April 23 - 6 to 8 p.m., Cotton Building, 407 Water Street
•Seattle Aquarium, April 24 - 6 to 8 p.m., 1483 Alaska Way, Pier 59

The public can find more information about the four options now under consideration and post comments online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/octopus/ through May 31. 

[Fishstiq]

More info here on the proposals, times/dates/locations of the hearings, ect...

http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/octopus/

[washelkhunter]

All because one guy legally harvested an octupus off a beach full of knuckleheads who think they are pets and are there for their amusement and communing with gaia. The chaos of feelings substituted for intelligence.

[ouchfoss]

Didnt the WDFW already say last year that the octopus population is stable? Seems stupid to mess with the rules and limits if there is no actual need for any more conservation of a species. Or maybe just make certain diving spots like the one where this whole issue started off limits to Octopus spearing.
If I'm not mistaken, I remember reading somewhere that you are legal to take a few of the legs off the Octopus and then let it go because they will easily grow them back. Maybe thats something that should be encouraged to make everybody happy.

[h20hunter]

No spearing allowed. They must be taken by hand....no irritants or anything the pierces.

I agree....the limit is fine...simply close that area to harvest of any kind. It is basically a dive park anyway.

[Kola16]

No spearing allowed. They must be taken by hand....no irritants or anything the pierces.

How in the world do you kill an octopus than

[h20hunter]

Grab it and pull....then....bite it between the eyes. Acuatlly....I have no idea how to kill it in a quick and humane manner. I've interacted with...fed 'em crab and stuff...while diving. I would think it pretty easy to get a small one...say 10 or so lbs....but a big one....man they are big and they are stong. I've never had the desire to harvest one so I'm not real sure.

[Kola16]

Grab it and pull....then....bite it between the eyes. Acuatlly....I have no idea how to kill it in a quick and humane manner. I've interacted with...fed 'em crab and stuff...while diving. I would think it pretty easy to get a small one...say 10 or so lbs....but a big one....man they are big and they are stong. I've never had the desire to harvest one so I'm not real sure.

I just Googled it, and almost all that came up is the octo issue in Seattle.......then on another forum, they said to bite it between the eyes  Seems to be a difficult task if you were underwater, and it had tentacles wrapped around your face pulling your mask off and stuff 

[Fishstiq]

Grab it and pull....then....bite it between the eyes. Acuatlly....I have no idea how to kill it in a quick and humane manner. I've interacted with...fed 'em crab and stuff...while diving. I would think it pretty easy to get a small one...say 10 or so lbs....but a big one....man they are big and they are stong. I've never had the desire to harvest one so I'm not real sure.

I just Googled it, and almost all that came up is the octo issue in Seattle.......then on another forum, they said to bite it between the eyes  Seems to be a difficult task if you were underwater, and it had tentacles wrapped around your face pulling your mask off and stuff 

If you can fit a GPO's head far enough into your mouth to actually "bite it between the eyes", then I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but you have bigger problems than octopus harvesting to worry about!    

In all seriousness, has anyone here actually eaten Giant Pacific Octopus?  I know people eat a lot of types of octos, but I have never actually known anyone who ate GPO.  All the reports I have heard say it's too tough/chewy to actually eat.  I imagine that's true, or more people would try to harvest them if they were actually good.  I would try it, but not with very high hopes.

[Chase 1]

Pretty slick advisory committee! When it looked like divers would most likely not get their way with option C, they beefed up option B to include Seacrest Cove 1, 2, and 3, to the Redondo area to total harvest closure.

Option B: Conservation Area – no recreational harvest of all species
•   Redondo Beach
•   Seacrest Cove 1, 2, & 3

Like I said before, I don't have a dog in this fight. I don't fish anywhere near here. I just find it hard to swallow that this group has taken it upon themselves to try and close even more grounds to anglers. And to try and push anglers to consider option C as the better of the two, they beefed up a total closure to harvest with option B. Chances are B or C will be the option selected, and in my opinion, they bolstered B to make it more likely that C is ultimately selected by the Commission.

I could have considered a compromise on this issue and even supported some divers desire to have an additional area closed to GPO harvest, really not that big of a deal. Unfortunately, this has become much more than that and for that I urge anglers to write a comment in favor of Option A, no change.

Divers should have reached out to the angling community and worked out an agreeable compromise that could have been submitted with support rather than opposition.

The issues surrounding enforcement of a fishing closure in the area surrounding a fishing pier will further push the option C. If option B passes, be careful not to cast too far off the pier or you could be ticketed for fishing in closed waters.

Email from WDFW:

Thank you for submitting comments to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regarding new protective measures for the giant Pacific octopus in Puget Sound. We wanted to let you know that Option B on the website has been updated to include Seacrest Park Coves 1, 2 and 3 (excluding fishing pier), based on input from the advisory group. If you wish to resubmit your comments on Option B, please do so at http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/octopus/comments.html . We have also added maps showing the boundaries for each of the seven specific areas included under Options B and C.
 
Craig Burley
Fish Management Division Manager
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

[pianoman9701]

Dear Sirs,
Creating fishing rules based on public opinion and not on science is not only a slippery slope, but contrary to any established fish and wildlife system in the country. If the fish are endangered, protect them. If they are abundant, make the resource available to the public. It's called the North America Game Management Model.
The group PETA refers to all fish as "Sea Kittens". They would have us stop all fishing. What is the difference here? Have we come to a point in this state where we no longer need biologists, and fishery managers, but instead will be satisfied with being bullied into non-scientific management practices by special interest groups?
Do not adopt this plan unless it is necessary to protect a dwindling population. Thanks.
PMan

[RB]

Dear Sirs,
Creating fishing rules based on public opinion and not on science is not only a slippery slope, but contrary to any established fish and wildlife system in the country. If the fish are endangered, protect them. If they are abundant, make the resource available to the public. It's called the North America Game Management Model.
The group PETA refers to all fish as "Sea Kittens". They would have us stop all fishing. What is the difference here? Have we come to a point in this state where we no longer need biologists, and fishery managers, but instead will be satisfied with being bullied into non-scientific management practices by special interest groups?
Do not adopt this plan unless it is necessary to protect a dwindling population. Thanks.
PMan

Turned in my comment several days ago option A leave it alone I agree 100% if it is a stable fishery leave it to science not opinion!

[magnanimous_j]

In all seriousness, has anyone here actually eaten Giant Pacific Octopus?  I know people eat a lot of types of octos, but I have never actually known anyone who ate GPO.  All the reports I have heard say it's too tough/chewy to actually eat.  I imagine that's true, or more people would try to harvest them if they were actually good.  I would try it, but not with very high hopes.

I catch them by accident sometimes while squid jigging. They are very young juveniles, at their biggest, the size of a dinner plate. They are absolutely delicious sautéd with butter, lemon, shallot and capers. The bigger ones go on the grill.

FYI, the only way I’ve figured out how to kill them without a hammer is to drop them into a bucket of fresh water. They die in seconds, but change color really rapidly first. If you just throw them in your bucket, they’ll be running down the dock the next time you turn your back.

When I was in Vegas recently, I had an entre of octopus where the tentacles were cut into medallions the size of silver dollars (much bigger than any I have cooked). It was phenomenal. I asked the waiter how it was cooked and he told me the chef wouldn’t tell anyone how he did it, but alluded to some kind of brining. It had a good char on it, so I’m assuming it was grilled as well.

[pianoman9701]

In all seriousness, has anyone here actually eaten Giant Pacific Octopus?  I know people eat a lot of types of octos, but I have never actually known anyone who ate GPO.  All the reports I have heard say it's too tough/chewy to actually eat.  I imagine that's true, or more people would try to harvest them if they were actually good.  I would try it, but not with very high hopes.

I catch them by accident sometimes while squid jigging. They are very young juveniles, at their biggest, the size of a dinner plate. They are absolutely delicious sautéd with butter, lemon, shallot and capers. The bigger ones go on the grill.

FYI, the only way I’ve figured out how to kill them without a hammer is to drop them into a bucket of fresh water. They die in seconds, but change color really rapidly first. If you just throw them in your bucket, they’ll be running down the dock the next time you turn your back.

When I was in Vegas recently, I had an entre of octopus where the tentacles were cut into medallions the size of silver dollars (much bigger than any I have cooked). It was phenomenal. I asked the waiter how it was cooked and he told me the chef wouldn’t tell anyone how he did it, but alluded to some kind of brining. It had a good char on it, so I’m assuming it was grilled as well.

I occasionally sell them and the chefs go nuts over them - 30 lbs +. They do have to soak them in milk to get rid of the ureic acid, but really like them a lot.

[WSU]

In all seriousness, has anyone here actually eaten Giant Pacific Octopus?  I know people eat a lot of types of octos, but I have never actually known anyone who ate GPO.  All the reports I have heard say it's too tough/chewy to actually eat.  I imagine that's true, or more people would try to harvest them if they were actually good.  I would try it, but not with very high hopes.

I catch them by accident sometimes while squid jigging. They are very young juveniles, at their biggest, the size of a dinner plate. They are absolutely delicious sautéd with butter, lemon, shallot and capers. The bigger ones go on the grill.

FYI, the only way I’ve figured out how to kill them without a hammer is to drop them into a bucket of fresh water. They die in seconds, but change color really rapidly first. If you just throw them in your bucket, they’ll be running down the dock the next time you turn your back.

When I was in Vegas recently, I had an entre of octopus where the tentacles were cut into medallions the size of silver dollars (much bigger than any I have cooked). It was phenomenal. I asked the waiter how it was cooked and he told me the chef wouldn’t tell anyone how he did it, but alluded to some kind of brining. It had a good char on it, so I’m assuming it was grilled as well.

I occasionally sell them and the chefs go nuts over them - 30 lbs +. They do have to soak them in milk to get rid of the ureic acid, but really like them a lot.

Is there any way to target them if I am not a diver?