Lionfish problem SOLVED

[Hank49]

I think they're mutating here in Belize. I've seen some of the biggest, fattest ugliest ones I've ever seen. Honestly, I don't remember seeing them this size in the Philippines.

 

[RTBDiver]

I'm not sure what point is trying to be made here. If it's that commercial fishing will rid a dive site of all lion fish, that's simply not ever going to happen. There are about 20 different reasons why.

I'll just give you one example that demonstrates the error in that thinking. Pointing back to Cozumel, the reefs are better culled then just about anywhere. Divemasters cull the reefs on every dive..

Yet your attempt in explaining why it will never work is very flawed , Divemasters ARE NOT commercial fisherman. And once again someone thinks it is being suggested that the lionfish can be erradicated where as some of us are simply saying they can be controlled in certain areas

 

[Mike]

Yet your attempt in explaining why it will never work is very flawed , Divemasters ARE NOT commercial fisherman. And once again someone thinks it is being suggested that the lionfish can be erradicated where as some of us are simply saying they can be controlled in certain areas

Nope, I'm fully on board that controlling in certain areas is fully possible. Every example I've given has been referring to a situation that demonstrated just that.

The responses you've received from everyone have been in regard to your posts about erradicating them entirely, not about controlling them on individual recreational dive sites.

Lionfish problem SOLVED

In no time there should be no lionfish around

Let the locals hunt them, Promote places serving them and watch them fade

Everything I've responded with has been in regard to controlling on individual dive sites --

You're right. Right now it is not a solution to the overall problem, only a way to manage the dive sites.

So lets back up and start over -

Commerical harvest of lionfish is a positive step in the right direction. However, it's effect is not going to be a silver bullet to the problem, no matter how zealous and greedy the fishermen may become over lionfish -

#1 ) Their take will be limited to only table worthy sized lionfish, ignoring the juveniles and the smaller lionfish, leaving them unmolested to destroy the reef fish as they grow to a size large enough to be taken by a fisherman. This results in 2 continuing problems a) the lionfish continue to breed, b) the juveniles continue to decimate the juvenile reef fish.

#2 ) Commerical divers dive depth limits, will always limit the effect on the rest of the lionfish population, allowing them to breed unmolested in deeper depths, providing an endless supply or replacements.

Would a robust local lionfish economy be a help or a hinderance? It would be a help. Would it be Lionfish problem solved? No. Would it in time be no lionfish around? No.

So far the only process that seems to be successful in practically removing there damage to the ecology of recreational dive sites is a grass roots effort based on dive masters being allowed and being encouraged to kill them at every chance on every dive. In Cozumel this has been done for years now and as everyone knows who dives there, you rarely see a large lionfish on a dive within the marine park, the majority you will ever see are 2-3 inches at best. On Roatan this technique is not being promoted, divemasters have told me personally that they are being told specifically not to kill lionfish on their dives with clients. On Roatan's dive sites you see huge liionfish. I saw many 14-16 inch lion fish, many times multiple ones and the reefs show the results on the west side at least where I was, with a markedly apparent lack of reef fish now.

 

[RTBDiver]

Nope, I'm fully on board that controlling in certain areas is fully possible. Every example I've given has been referring to a situation that demonstrated just that.

The responses you've received from everyone have been in regard to your posts about erradicating them entirely, not about controlling them on individual recreational dive sites.


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If some did not see the sarcasm in my few first posts here about this then I am sorry, perhaps I need to find a sarcasm smiley for those that think my starting ths post was at all serious.
Now when you tell us

Their take will be limited to only table worthy sized lionfish,

I must wonder, if that were the case then why are undersized lobster, tiny snapper, juvenile grouper and small conch readilly available?

 

[Mike]

If some did not see the sarcasm in my few first posts here about this then I am sorry, perhaps I need to find a sarcasm smiley for those that think my starting ths post was at all serious.

Your sarcasm was acknowledged --

I get the joke

Now when you tell us I must wonder, if that were the case then why are undersized lobster, tiny snapper, juvenile grouper and small conch readilly available?

You'll have to figure that one out for yourself. However, I'm going to remain pretty confident there isn't much of a market for tiny fish fillets.

 

[RTBDiver]

So far the only process that seems to be successful in practically removing there damage to the ecology of recreational dive sites is a grass roots effort based on dive masters being allowed and being encouraged to kill them

So imagine the possibilities if people living in poverty in a third world country were told they would be paid for killing the critters and it was not just left to the transient divemastersor instructors who by the marine parks own post should be PADI

 

[Doc]

....So imagine the possibilities if people living in poverty in a third world country were told they would be paid for killing the critters ....

The locals will be paid for killing just the Lionfish.....

Where the hell is that sarcasm emoticon smiley?

:sarcasm: <- The official SB one just aint makin' it.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

So imagine the possibilities if people living in poverty in a third world country were told they would be paid for killing the critters and it was not just left to the transient divemastersor instructors who by the marine parks own post should be PADI

just like the way the locals are paid to catch lobsters, and you end up with alot of locals dying from the bends.

 

[RTBDiver]

The locals will be paid for killing just the Lionfish.....

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They already have rules about lobster and conch that are not enforced, everything else is legal to fish for, no laws about killing the preffy angelfishes, parrotfish, tangs etc.. I am sure the marine park would have everything under control

 

[RTBDiver]

just like the way the locals are paid to catch lobsters, and you end up with alot of locals dying from the bends.

Actually therere very few local lobster divers in the Bay Islands, most are from the mainland and yep, many are injured or killed everyyear but I see very little effort on any visitors to stop wanting to eat lobster or eating in the restauraunts throughout the US and Canada that buy the bulk of the Honduran catch