Unidentified Fish @ Cove 2

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:22 am

I saw this little bugger at Cove 2 tonight and I don't know what he is. Can someone help a brotha out?

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:41 am

AWESOME!!!!!

That's a Longspine Combfish (Zaniolepis latipinnis) !!!

They're not seen but once in a long time by divers because they typically inhabit deeper waters. What was your depth?

Believe it or not they're members of the Greenling Family - so related to Ling Cod, Painted Greenlings, Whitespotted Greenlings and Kelp Greenlings.

That is a shot to cherish! I only know of a handful of people who have seen and photographed this fish.

Congrats!!!

- Janna

John Rawlings · Post by **John Rawlings** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:45 am

Boy! You can sure see how it got its name!

Great find, Calvin!

Do you recall the approximate depth you were at when you saw it?

- John

WylerBear · Post by **WylerBear** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:52 am

Very cool! And nice photo.

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:24 am

Wow, neat!

I knew it was something I hadn't seen before, but I had no idea it was that rare.

I was at around 105' or so.

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:30 am

Nice find and shot Calvin!

-Valerie

Jan K · Post by **Jan K** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:14 pm

Great find and great shot, all the details are there...

gcbryan · Post by **gcbryan** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:16 pm

They aren't common but they're not rare either. I saw my first one at Cove 2 at a similar depth to yours and Janna identified it for me from my photo.

Since then however I see them every now and then at many dive sites but usually under similar conditions such as deeper and on a silty bottom. It's always nice to find something different.

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:53 pm

Uh, Janna - does this mean we can get the scuba plates now?!

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 1:24 am

that is such a cool-looking fish! nice work, calvin!!!

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:37 am

Calvin wrote:Uh, Janna - does this mean we can get the scuba plates now?!

It's looking more promising! We next need to gather signatures of those with the 'intent to buy' the plates. DOL requires that we have enough to total 3500 sets of plates before they'll approve it.

We're in the process of dropping off the petition and information binders and poster at all approx. 40 dive shops in Washington. We'll also drop them off at charters too. The petitions can't be signed online, but have to be done in person.

Click here for more details

We hope to gather the necessary signatures by the end of August, so we can get into the next phase of the project. It has to get passed by the legislature, as well as we have to come up with a huge gigantic amount of money to pay D.O.L up front for the production costs ($40,000 if I remember right).

- Janna

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:50 am

that's great, so is your avatar the final design that will be on the plates?

also, let us know by posting to NWDC when the petitions will be available at LDSs to sign.

thanks for all your hard work on this, Janna and WSA!

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:06 am

Yes, that's the final design. I haven't said much about this quite yet because all the binders aren't set in place at the dive shops. I know they're in the following locations right now, and possibly at many more:

Beneath the Waves, Vancouver
Thunder Reef Divers, Vancouver
Seven Seas Scuba, Vancouver
Undersea Adventures, Kennewick
One World Watersports, Yakima
Underwater Sports, Federal Way
Underwater Sports, Olympia
Capital Divers, Olympia
Silent World, Bellevue
Fifth Dimension, Issaquah

Tomorrow I'll get:
Mikes Dive Center
Mike's Beach
Hoodsport 'n' Dive
Pacific Adventure Charters

Thursday Jim will get:
Tacoma Scuba
Underwater Sports, Tacoma
Lighthouse, Tacoma
Bandito Charters, Tacoma
A to Z Scuba, Puyallup

This week, Mike will tackle:
All Underwater Sports in Seattle area, and north to Everett
Bubbles Below, Woodinville
Discount Divers
Lighthouse, Seattle and Lynnwood

You can always call your favorite shop and ask. I'll try to keep you posted! There are four of us distributing the binders to the shops and it's going to involve a lot of travel. (we feel it's important to make personal visits to the shops if at all possible, rather than just mailing them out)

- Janna

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:53 am

what about smokey point dive shop? my brother uses that dive shop. oh, nice find calvin. made for a nice photo!

nwscubamom · Post by **nwscubamom** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:56 pm

I will be stopping by Smokey Point on Saturday, as well as the three Bellingham shops, and possibly Anacortes Diving.

- Janna