And no, it is not necessary for a species to be endangered in order to be considered a valuable species to a region. I wish that was the case across the USA. Frequently, threatened and endangered species are so few in number it requires genetic intervention to save them. I sincerely believe, often the classification of species should be earlier.
But, I found this article interesting. The folks in the northwest USA are really interesting, too. They love the sea, the land and it's relationship.
But, I wanted to comment about this particular reality. It is in relation to the warming oceans and the Climate Crisis. Many of these soft bodied marine species have populations exploding globally. The numbers alone will reduce fisheries to nothing, but, them. In Thailand, squid have become a sincere source of food simply because the populations have become so large.
Chameleon-like, giant Pacific octopuses can change their appearance to mimic rocks and highly patterned coral. (click here) By MARNIE HANEL
Published: October 16, 2013
...Their conclusion, (click here) however, turned out to be more complicated than anyone anticipated. An informal octopus census as well as studies like a five-year diver survey indicated that the giant Pacific octopus population in the Puget Sound was actually quite robust. The species grew quickly, lived briefly and reproduced effectively — factors important to determining its sustainability. In Alaska, in fact, it seemed as if there were more than plenty of them. When in 2011 the state tried to protect the species by capping incidental catch at 150, they discovered the giant Pacific octopus population was so plentiful that they reached their quota by October; that season’s pot cod fishing had to shut down early. The octopus didn’t need to be saved, Plunkett’s team determined; the people of Seattle simply wanted to save it....
This species of Octopus are excellent hunters, they even hunt the shore birds of the northwest, including Pigeon Guillemot, while they feed in and around the waters where they live.
I think there is a happy medium between protectionists, who are very important people, and the fisherman. But, I also believe the US Fisheries carry a great deal of insight to the status of our nation's waters.
NOAA Fisheries (click here) updates stock status and the Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI) score quarterly. The Status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress will continue to be published annually.
US Fisheries have an excellent program to monitor populations of fish within our waters. A species like this octopus is frequently viewed as by-catch. I can't help but wonder if ship captains should not be noting an increase in these soft bodies species within their nets and asking the US Fisheries inspector to include same in their status reports.
I see no reason why these species can't be harvested in US waters. The harvesting of them, no different than King Crab in Alaska, can be recorded and the status of their numbers maintained. These soft body species reproduce much easier and in greater numbers than many fish. If a family fishing business would benefit from their taking of octopus there should be permits issued to realize how widely these marine species are populating the waters of the Pacific.
In recent years, the Pacific fisheries have collapsed. A great deal of that responsibility lies with the Bush White House. The Bush White House allowed anyone who cared to a commercial fishing venture. It deregulated much of the operations of the Pacific commercial fisheries, which surprised me considering there are corporate interests at stake. As a result, the fisheries collapsed in one of those Oops moments.These species will not help to return populations of fish and may be causing a drop in them. This is not the only species of octopus in American waters either.
Octopus are kinda cool, in that they have all these legs and are squishy. They get into places no one could imagine, so they have a big attraction to the imagination and kids adore them. They are among the most fascinating attractions at any aquarium. But, they are also delicious to the palate of many seafood fans, especially when prepared in unique ways. I don't care to eat octopus, so my understanding of their food attraction is strictly from food critics.
US Fisheries can get a handle on the population of these species in US waters, which are different than Asian waters. There are different species for different parts of the ocean and they should never meet because they can wipe each other out depending on the stronger and hardier species. And, NO, that doesn't mean any species is better than another either. North Carolina tried to replace their loss of native oysters with a hardier Asian species and failed. Why? Because the foreign waters of the North Carolina waterways caused a fungal growth that killed the Asian oyster. So, there are reasons invasive species are BAD. They kill the natives and then die of the diseases the native species were resistant to.
It is why all ships have to dump their bilge outside of important waters. The ships carry invasives into the ports if they don't empty their water compartments of foreign water. I don't want to hear how someone has a better idea, there is no better idea. The spawn of the marines species are so microscopic they can't be detected in a meaningful way without growing first on some kind of marine structure. Those barnacles along the docks and on boats started off unable to detect.
But, where these soft bodied species are concerned there is reason to explore allowing fishing within reasonable limits and to ask ship captains to report their own understanding of an increase in any predators that could be effecting the return of abundance of fish to American waters.
Captains are important people, they are not the enemy because they harvest seafood. They have insight. They know their business. The inspectors and captains should be having conversations to protect the product that supports their families. And the captains should be following regulations while acting in a cooperative with others to be sure they are fair. The idea is to preserve the ocean's ability to be abundant and that means all species survive. It is called a food chain after all. The people that act to protect species are more valuable than any captain wants to give them credit, too.
Good luck and enjoy.
James Brooks-File - In this Jan. 14, 2012 file photo,
fishing boats line the docks during crab season at Cannery Row in
Kodiak, Alaska. Alaska's multimillion-dollar red king crab season is
scheduled to open Tuesday Oct. 15, 2013, but it looks like a no-go for
most because federal managers who are supposed to set individual fishing
quotas are among workers furloughed in the government's partial
shutdown. Only boats representing a fraction of the total harvest will
be heading out into the Bering Sea. (AP Photo/James Brooks, Kodiak Daily
Mirror, File) (AP Photo/Kodiak Daily Mirror, James Brooks, File )'Deadliest Catch' fishery a no-go in shutdown (click here)
By RACHEL D'OROTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ANCHORAGE — Alaska’s multimillion-dollar red king crab season opened Tuesday, but most of the participating boats remained at dock because federal managers who are supposed to set individual fishing quotas are among workers still furloughed in the government’s partial shutdown.
Only boats representing a tiny fraction of the total harvest will be heading out into the Bering Sea. For that community development program, quotas are assigned by the state, with only seven vessels signed up to fish as of Tuesday....
