This is not going to be a very popular viewpoint, but here goes..................
Potting for cuttlefish has been going on in Babbacombe (and many other areas along the coast) for a long time. Babbacombe does not represent a coming together of cuttlefish from a wide area, cuttlefish gather to mate in a huge number of places, it is just that Babbacombe is a popular shore dive site so they get seen.
Potting mainly catches cuttlefish after they have spawned (which they only do once in their lifetime, they die soon afterwards) so is unlikely to have any great effect on populations.
There are a great many huge problems in the sea, with overfishing, pollution etc. Cuttlefish may be cute, but a few boats setting a few pots for cuttle is really not that important in the grand scheme of things.
Have their been any cases of these number 10 e petitions actually changing things? In the case of a ban on a particular type of fishing gear inside the 6 mile limit, it is a matter for the local Sea Fisheries Committee (in this case Devon Sea Fisheries Committee) not central Government anyway
cheers
dave
drysuitrepair.co.uk