Species profile
Giant Pacific Octopus
Enteroctopus dofleini
Identify Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 4 jurisdictions.
At a glance
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) is an IUCN Least Concern octopus/squid regulated in 4 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Bag limits are uniform at 1 per angler across the 4 regulating jurisdictions.
Confirmed by 1,638 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with British Columbia, Washington, and Alaska the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- The world's largest octopus, with typical arm spans reaching about 14 feet.
- Females lay up to 100,000 eggs and die after guarding them through hatching.
- Can change skin color and texture in milliseconds to mimic its surroundings.
- Despite its impressive size, its natural lifespan is only 3 to 5 years.
- Has three hearts: two pump blood through the gills and one through the body.
Where Giant Pacific Octopus are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Giant Pacific Octopus
Background
Enteroctopus dofleini, also known as the giant Pacific octopus or North Pacific giant octopus, is a large marine cephalopod belonging to the genus Enteroctopus. Its spatial distribution includes the coastal North Pacific, along California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Russia, northern Japan, and Korea. It can be found from the intertidal zone down to 2,000 m (6,600 ft), and is…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Giant Pacific Octopus article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other octopus/squid on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Giant Pacific Octopus?
Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) is an IUCN Least Concern octopus/squid regulated in 4 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for Giant Pacific Octopus?
Giant Pacific Octopus is Enteroctopus dofleini.
Is Giant Pacific Octopus regulated for fishing?
Yes — Giant Pacific Octopus has fishing regulations in 4 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Giant Pacific Octopus?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Giant Pacific Octopus along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.