Lionfish/help

[deborahdelamar]

Just because a species exists in an area near Cozumel doesn't mean that those fish will populate Cozumel's reefs. For example, there have been blue angelfish and cleaning gobies on the mainland side for many, many years yet there are no confirmed reports that these exist in Coz's waters. Lionfish eggs & larvae travel with the oceans' currents and currents around the island are very complex -- no one knows exactly where our lionfish came from or when or where their offspring are going.

The only things we know is that the first fish was spotted in Jan. 2009 and, so far, lionfish populations per hectare in Coz is very, very low compared to the most intensively-studied location which is The Bahamas (and which had lionfish years before Coz -- without any effort at control.)

Seeing what happened up north, Cozumel's citizens and the Mexican government plan to fight the good fight for as long as they can. I commend and support that effort.

 

[Amphiprion]

Will Mexico let tourists have spear guns for this effort? I tried to stab one and my DM tried to smash one with a bail out bottle. No dice. If every tourist could shoot one lionfish a dive then problem solved.

 

[macado]

Will Mexico let tourists have spear guns for this effort? I tried to stab one and my DM tried to smash one with a bail out bottle. No dice. If every tourist could shoot one lionfish a dive then problem solved.

It would be nice but I could see a problem with relatively new divers accidently spearing wrong species, bumping into other divers with spear. I wouldnt mind letting the divemasters spear them. Not to say many of us arent capable of spearing them, I just think with the amount of divers Cozumel gets it could be disastrous if you had every diver running around with a spear in hand.

 

[Smoochy]

From what I was told, people can now go and take a class to get "permission" to kill Lionfish inside the marine park. I do not know what all the class entails, I was just informed that it exists.

This is MUCH better than letting the masses run around with spears... that thought honestly scares me.

Also, our usual DM uses a mask case to catch the smaller Lionfish, and has a 3 pointed spear for the larger Lionfish. The mask case works well, as it is hard sided and he can use the top to "shoo" the fish into the case.

I loved the irony of killing and smashing up the large lionfish and seeing the smaller fish gobble it up in seconds.

 

[sharky60]

It is rediculous that the DM's are being asked to catch these animals with their hands...gloves or no.

Divemasters should be certified or licensed by the marine park to carry short Hawaiian slings, 24-30" with tri-prong spear heads and be able to spear and kill the lionfish with them. Quick, easy, and no direct contact with the animal required. After spearing, just wipe it off the prongs using the sand as leverage.

On our latest trip, one of the buggers stuck Jorge from Blue Angel pretty badly. It got him with 4 spines very deply in one palm and he was hurting for most of the rest of the week. It should never have happened.

If the marine park is going to ask the divemasters to be responsible for the disposing of the lionfish, they should provide them with or allow them to use proper tools to do the job.

I don't feel tourist should be certified or licensed to do the job, it would be too hard to regulate, and eventually someone would abuse the privilage...

 

[deborahdelamar]

Referring to Macado's, Smoochy's & Sharky's posts:

At the original Marine Park lionfish briefing, the audience was informed that someone had, indeed, delivered a non-lionfish "lionfish" to the Park's office. So killing or removing the wrong fish is something that the Park wants to avoid. The other problem for officials is the sting. So, for these two reasons, the rule was issued that: Only "employees who are certified to work in the Park" may capture lionfish there.

I've heard that a training course is being offered so that members of the public at large may hunt the fish but I haven't seen any publicity about it. I'm certain that the course is taught in Spanish. Hope Nemecio or someone else in the know will chime in about that.

At the same briefing, slings were specifically prohibited -- repeatedly. That rule may have changed since then, I don't know. The DM's have developed many techniques and tools for dealing with the fish. Yet they're limited to using what's available locally unless someone brings in a special tool.

 

[Hockeynut]

From NOAA website:


I am one who thinks you need to get over yourselves and let it be. Its going to happen. There is 0 you can do to stop it. The fish is already in Playa, on the other side of Cozumel, in Cuba and all over. Lionfish Distribution That alone should show that nothing you can do will have any effect. Let it be and let nature do its thing. It may not equalize in your lifetime, but this isnt about YOU.

You must be an inspirational speaker.

 

[geokr]

The gloves that Jeremy recommends are Hex Armor Sharpsmasters or similar. These are fairly expensive (available at the reef.org store for $50) but worth the money when you consider the pain & lost time DM's have when stung. Nice post, Marg!

We tested these a couple of years ago with lionfish and they are the best gloves around. But, though they're effective they're not 100% effective, a strong barb moving head on can still penetrate. Better than anything else but, please, still be careful when handling lionfish even with these on or you'll join the ranks of the annointed ones.

 

[orm]

Saw a load today jut north of Tulum.... A lot of juveniles.

 

[ggunn]

We tested these a couple of years ago with lionfish and they are the best gloves around. But, though they're effective they're not 100% effective, a strong barb moving head on can still penetrate. Better than anything else but, please, still be careful when handling lionfish even with these on or you'll join the ranks of the annointed ones.

Why not use a chain mail glove like the ones that oyster shuckers wear?