Octopus Killing Fuels Scuba Diver Activism

A scuba diving instructor recently encountered a diver who was in the process of killing an octopus at Cove 2, a popular West Seattle diving site. Photos of the incident spread online, prompting the local scuba dive community to seek marine protection status for Cove 2.

Divers from all around the world are drawn to the area at Seacrest Park, specifically to see the giant Pacific octopus. But harvesting an octopus there is legal and octopuses aren’t a threatened species. KUOW’s Sara Lerner spoke with Laurynn Evans, owner of underwater video production company Seainggreen. She’s among the Seattleites working now towards a new marine protection status for that site.