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Octo Update: Sign a Petition To Protect the Octopus in Puget Sound

BY Rachel Belle  on November 5, 2012 @ 6:01 pm (Updated: 11:45 am - 11/6/12 )

bab_confronts_octo.jpg
Bob Bailey confronts one of the octopus hunters on the beach at Alki.
On Friday we told you about a pair of 19-year-old amateur divers who were seen hunting a Giant Pacific Octopus at a popular West Seattle diving spot. It was a legal hunt, but the local diving community considers this a disrespectful and unmoral act. Since this story broke on Friday, a huge debate has sparked.

Listen to the original story here.

Today, local divers outraged by the hunt have started to circulate a petition.

"We started a petition in collaboration with the Northwest News Dive Network," says Seattle dive instructor Scott Lundy. "We wrote a petition essentially requesting the area of Cove Two be banned from harvesting GPO (Giant Pacific Octopus). Since that petition went live a little over 48 hours ago, we've received over 2,000 signatures. It's been posted to Facebook, to news sites all across the world."

On Thursday, a group of divers is going to Olympia to speak to the Washington Department of Fishery and Wildlife, to make their plea for protecting the Giant Pacific Octopus that live in Cove Two of the Puget Sound.

Dive instructor Bob Bailey saw the 19-year-olds pulling the octopus from the water last week. He sent the hunters' photographs, names and license plate numbers to dive shops up and down the coasts, and posted this information on dive forums seen around the world. Now Bob tells me, in an exclusive interview, that he feels terrible about what happened on Friday.

"Things got a little emotional with the family," says Bob. "Actually, on Friday, I called the mom and learned that they've been receiving harassing phone calls and emails and she categorized some of them as threatening to her family. It just made me really kind of ill, actually. I totally disapprove of that. It goes against everything that I believe in. So I've been stepping back. In fact you're the first reporter that I've spoken to at all, since I last spoke to you [on Friday] and I've had several requests. Really out of concern for this family and their well-being. They don't deserve this."

I asked Bob if he's received any threats from people on the other side of this debate.

"Oh yes, I've been compared to George Zimmerman and I've been called The Vigilante. You know, that's okay. I don't mind if people want to vent and I know who I am and the people who are important to me know who I am, and what I stand for, and why I'm doing this. I'm not doing this to hurt anyone. I respect this family. I respect all families. They're very upset with me and they have a right to be upset. I disagree with what this young man did but I don't believe that he or his family deserve to be harassed for it."

I asked Bob if, in retrospect, he would have gone about things differently.

"That's a good question! I've given it a lot of thought. Yes, I would go about it differently. I would not change my position on this. Had I to do it over again, I would try and do it in a way that didn't directly identify this young man."

Bob says he completely underestimated the power of social media.

"Facebook frightens me. I'm probably one of the 12 people in the USA who doesn't have a Facebook account. Once this thing hit Facebook it just exploded. It was like throwing gasoline on a fire. That's something I couldn't have anticipated and it just brought all of these crazy people out of the woodwork."

Click here to sign the petition to protect the Giant Pacific Octopus living in the Puget Sound.

Rachel Belle, Ron and Don Show Reporter
Rachel Belle is a feature contributor and personality on The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7pm), and host of Ring My Belle Weekends (Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm).
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Comments (32)


  • Add A Comment

  • hedujg26 wrote...
    What did he think would happen?
    November 5, 2012 6:31 pm
    "He sent the hunters' photographs, names and license plate numbers to dive shops up and down the coasts, and posted this information on dive forums seen around the world. " He knew exactly what he was doing. He was persecuting a couple divers who weren't breaking the law. He attempted to give these divers a "scarlet A", and he went over board. He tried his own justice and found he was wrong. He knew exactly what he was doing. FB scares him, buit not calling dive shops uo and down the coast and giving strangers names and address's out is a ok? Horsekrap.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • JeffShelton wrote...
    Hey Bob look up defamation of character Lawsuit
    November 5, 2012 8:38 pm
    "He sent the hunters' photographs, names and license plate numbers to dive shops up and down the coasts, and posted this information on dive forums seen around the world." For what?? Hunting legally. I really hope Dylan and his family will pursue a lawsuit, and Bob will learn to not run someones name in the mud like he did on this case.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    "I'm not doing this to hurt anyone. I respect this family".
    November 5, 2012 9:00 pm
    Liar
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Tarkington9 wrote...
    Bob Bailey is a Cyber Bully
    November 5, 2012 9:15 pm
    Bob Bailey was so outraged over the dead octopus that he sicced a mob to threaten and harass a young man who didn't do anything illegal. This petition should have been what Bob Bailey should have done, but no, he bullied the kid. This young man has been fired, his career prospects are dim, all because of this self appointed sheriff of the cove. I hope Bob Bailey is sued. Cyber bullies need to know they can't destroy people's lives, especially over an octopus. People should boycott Bob Bailey's business!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Bob Bailey
    November 6, 2012 2:42 am
    Self Appointed Jerk. I hope he loses his business.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    So Rachel
    November 6, 2012 3:43 am
    Do you even read remarks here

    You helped destroy this mans life even though he was entirely legal.

    Are you going to help rebuild his good name, to get his job back, to get his image set straight

    I bet you eat sushi too, do you know where that comes from

    You have a duty to set this right, or will you ignore it and hope it goes away.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • John Taylor wrote...
    Sheriff Bob
    November 6, 2012 5:58 am
    Hopefully the sportfishing community will rally behind this young and sink Sheriff Bob's career. Hopefully he'll be a bit less judgemental after he loses his home and business in a well-publicized lawsuit.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    Bob is a dirt bag.
    November 6, 2012 6:20 am
    There is a reason that every man women and child is allowed take one Octopus a day 365 days a year from Puget Sound (with a valid license) Because it is loaded with octopus.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Yo Bob Bailey
    November 6, 2012 6:41 am
    Hope the families sue your ants off. These kids were within their legal rights and you went out and maliciously smeared and cyber-bullied them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lessmith50 wrote...
    I hope they all come to your house BOB
    November 6, 2012 6:58 am
    What a brain dead fool. I hope all the LEGAL hunters and fisherman come to your house BOB. I hope they call your family in the middle of the night with death threats BOB!

    YOUR A IDIOT! That is the problem with brain dead doo gooders. THEY ARE BRAIN DEAD AND DONT THINK.

    I Dont care what the >>>> your beliefs are BOB! KEEP THEM TO YOURSELF. Call the Game department first BOB! That is their job NOT YOURS BOB!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lessmith50 wrote...
    Your to blame too Rachel Bell
    November 6, 2012 7:03 am
    Your to blame too Rachel Bell. THIS IS A NON STORY PERIOD. The boy was doing something that is 100% legal and you take this non story and run with it. THE POOR OCTOPUS! SHAME ON YOU RACHEL.

    Does it make you feel all tingley inside RACHEL knowing that this young man and his family are being terrorized by BRAIN DEAD DOO GOODERS? Well Rachel does it make you feel all tingley inside?

    I hope your happy Rachel.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    the station would claim "absence of malice"
    November 6, 2012 10:57 am
    Media types have no issue destroying innocent folks and hiding behind the banner of news.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }