Preliminary Overview and Plan
Goals: to Increase public awareness of the indo-pacific lionfish invasion and collaborate with the dive industry in lionfish research and control efforts
Background: Indo-pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have become well established in the Caribbean and along the US East Coast including North Carolina. Impacts of this invasion to native fisheries and ecosystems could be severe and more information is needed to better determine these impacts and identify possible solutions. Collaborations between REEF, the dive industry, public aquariums and researchers have proven to be successful in helping to not only educate the public and key user groups, but also to utilize volunteers in gathering important data to satisfy research needs.
Plan: The 1st Annual Cape Lookout Lionfish Rodeo, will be a collaborative effort between REEF, Discovery Diving Company, NOAA's Beaufort lab and the North Carolina Aquarium to implement awareness and training programs and to gather lionfish specimens for use in scientific research. Ongoing, monthly efforts will continue this awareness, training and collection program throughout the NC diving season.
These programs will include:
· An evening awareness and training seminar prior to each monthly collection effort
· Organized collection dives at 2 wreck sites and 2 ledges each month (sites TBD)
· Lionfish Cook-out and Rodeo competition at the culmination of each project (most fish, largest fish, smallest fish)
· A kick-off event beginning on May 18-19 with pre-event seminars on May 17 (venue TBD)
· Maximum number of paying customers on each boat will be 16
· 4 spaces on each boat will be provided at no cost for researchers
A program package fee will be determined.
In cooperation with NOAA and REEF, Discovery Diving will be conducting live collecting and sampling of lionfish starting May 18th & 19th. There will be more dates and details to follow, in which we hope to capture 150 live lionfish in the two days to study their spawning.
The general thought at this point as the lionfish seem to be here to stay is "population control" and creating a commercial market for them which will also help with the population control.
There will be an approximately 2 hour long Training Session Sunday night, then diving Mon & Tues.
There will be training in catching, cleaning and cooking of the lionfish.
For more information, contact Discovery Diving at dive@DiscoveryDiving.com
Goals: to Increase public awareness of the indo-pacific lionfish invasion and collaborate with the dive industry in lionfish research and control efforts
Background: Indo-pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have become well established in the Caribbean and along the US East Coast including North Carolina. Impacts of this invasion to native fisheries and ecosystems could be severe and more information is needed to better determine these impacts and identify possible solutions. Collaborations between REEF, the dive industry, public aquariums and researchers have proven to be successful in helping to not only educate the public and key user groups, but also to utilize volunteers in gathering important data to satisfy research needs.
Plan: The 1st Annual Cape Lookout Lionfish Rodeo, will be a collaborative effort between REEF, Discovery Diving Company, NOAA's Beaufort lab and the North Carolina Aquarium to implement awareness and training programs and to gather lionfish specimens for use in scientific research. Ongoing, monthly efforts will continue this awareness, training and collection program throughout the NC diving season.
These programs will include:
· An evening awareness and training seminar prior to each monthly collection effort
· Organized collection dives at 2 wreck sites and 2 ledges each month (sites TBD)
· Lionfish Cook-out and Rodeo competition at the culmination of each project (most fish, largest fish, smallest fish)
· A kick-off event beginning on May 18-19 with pre-event seminars on May 17 (venue TBD)
· Maximum number of paying customers on each boat will be 16
· 4 spaces on each boat will be provided at no cost for researchers
A program package fee will be determined.
In cooperation with NOAA and REEF, Discovery Diving will be conducting live collecting and sampling of lionfish starting May 18th & 19th. There will be more dates and details to follow, in which we hope to capture 150 live lionfish in the two days to study their spawning.
The general thought at this point as the lionfish seem to be here to stay is "population control" and creating a commercial market for them which will also help with the population control.
There will be an approximately 2 hour long Training Session Sunday night, then diving Mon & Tues.
There will be training in catching, cleaning and cooking of the lionfish.
For more information, contact Discovery Diving at dive@DiscoveryDiving.com
