Kill the LION FISH or catch 'em in SoFla?? Input needed.

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Chugwhump

Contributor
Messages
1,911
Reaction score
845
Location
SE Florida, the flattest part, I can see Mount Pom
# of dives
None - Not Certified
This is a post that I have been toying with starting for a while now, and just finally got around to it.

In case you were unaware.......
And are just back from Mars....
Or just learned to read....
We are overrun with the LION FISH Bastages down here.
Elsewhere also.....

This being said, I still kill and will continue to kill all of the LION FISH I can find larger than 3" or so.

But the little guys are still in some demand in the fish stores.
I have been helping some collector friends capture small (1" to 3") LION FISH for the past few months down here in sunny SoFla.

They trade the LION FISH in and get anywhere from $5 to $10 in store credit.
Last year it was twice that amount, but the price has fallen precipitiously from $15-$20 mark in 2009 to for some strange reason....(Duhhhh).

The positives:
We all wish SOMEBODY would get 'em all outta' the sea. NOW HAPPENING.
We all wish SOMEBODY would put a bounty on 'em. DONE! (for now...)
We all wish they would stop capturing them in the Pacific, and most everything else they import here that wrecks their ocean and its inhabitants. (Unless you are a poor Indonesian or Filipino with a bleach bottle and a net)
I have been told that as we now have an inexhaustible supply of LION FISH, they really are no longer bringing them in from the Pacific into North and South America.
I am unsure about Europe.
In Africa I think they just eat them.

The negatives...you tell me....

My undestanding is that aquari-ists (is that a word) would much rather buy local LION FISH anyway are the fish are healthier, live longer, and do not have the foreign bugs that can wipe out their tanks.

Some will say KILL 'EM ALL!
Some will say, do not introduce them into the tanks as they will grow and grow and then the fish keepers will toss them into the sea when they get too big.
My response to that is so what. Trust me when I tell you 30,000 additional tank raised LION FISH tossed into the sea are not going to amount to much at this point.

So I can go on and on, but I want to hear what you might think and why.

My current opinion is that catching the little ones and killing the big ones, is a good choice.

BTW.....
Last week I went out with some pals.
We killed 10+ biguns' on the first dive and caught 7 littluns'.
We popped up and between tanks called the fish store.
The guy said, "Bring me no more than 10 LION FISH, and they need to be 1" to 2.5" in length.
So we had 7, we did another tank and caught 3 more.
After getting the 3 more into the tupperware while submerged, we just just smashed the little ones while it was in the net thereafter.
We did it short, and with respect.
They are a magnificent creature, and they are in the wrong place.
We killed 17-20 between the three of us.

So...what are your thoughts on capturing LION FISH?

BTW....in case you feel the need to show your butt :debby: and cannot bring yourself to keep a civil tongue in your head on this discussion, please just turn the page and check back in a few weeks.
otherwise I will ask Cave Diver to change your name to
"Idiotwithanopinionandbadmanners" or Likesanimalporn" or something else equally disturbing.

I would like to see an honest pros and cons discussion on selling some Lion Fish.

Chug
Has a new dive buddy in his son and is way way happy!
 
One thought though, has anything been done by aquarium stores to warn customers about releasing lionfish, or any other invasives for that matter, back into the wild?
 
Whatever gets them off the reef is good. If you can make some $ doing it, all the better!
 
One thought though, has anything been done by aquarium stores to warn customers about releasing lionfish, or any other invasives for that matter, back into the wild?

Not sure.
I rarely frequent S/W fish stores.
I am sure someone has the answer to that query Sir Speed.

Chug
Now has 2 sets of gear drying on the rack out back, and IT FEELS GREAT!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jax
I agree with the two posters above, just get them out of the water. I'd prefer to see them all dead but keeping them from breeding in the ocean should be the priority.
 
ONESPEED hit the primary issue - People buy the pretty lionfish, and after a while it starts eating the fish in their tank. Or they get stung cleaning the tank.

Are the stores responsible enough to make sure the owners understand to not release them into the wild?

Dead is better, but I also believe in capitalism. :wink:
 
Personally, I kill every lion fish I come across (or try, anyway). I keep the ones big enough to eat, and even some of the smaller ones. The tiny ones I kill and leave, hoping some marine animal will get curious, taste 'em, and decide to incorporate the lion fish into their diet.

The only problem I have with selling them is what others above have stated.......will they get dumped into the ocean when the owner gets tired of them of they become too expensive to keep? I would never do it because I'd rather try to get our own marine life to become predators and go after them. I don't want to promote the keeping of lion fish as pets, since that's what got us into this predicament in the first place. That being said, I have no problem if other people sell them, because, after all, this is America, and capitalism reigns.

A problem with keeping them as pets, their sting is excuciating. I got stung by being stupid three weeks ago, and I still have repercussions from it. The palm of my hand still has a sensitive bump where the spine embedded in it, and two of my fingers feel like they're "asleep". I would hate to see a kid (or even an adult) trying to feed it or clean out the tank and get stung.
 
These things are worse than "Holy Hand Grenades" as far as I am concerned.
I have not been envenomed as yet, and I really hope it never happens to me.
Randy Jordan taught me how to hold and handle the little bastages, but really, just shoot 'em, scrape 'em, and move on.
The whole grabbing by the face, cutting of the lateral line then cutting of the fins for consumption later is fun but not really the mission as far as I am concerned.
I must say that catching the little guys in a net and then smashing them is far far easier than shooting a 1" to 2" fish.
I appreciate the input folks.

Chug
Now realizes that washing two sets of gear is actually a little more work than washing one set of gear.
'Cause I'm smart like that.
 
I'm generally not a fan of new regulations, but here is the exerpted Florida Law regarding reptiles. See if it makes sensible reading if you substitute the word "fishes" for "reptiles", put lionfish in the list of species of concern...along with just about anything else that doesn't belong, and use "tank" instead of "cage."

"Florida reptiles of concern – permit required

Reptiles of Concern include any species of the class Reptilia, including subspecies, taxonomic successors or hybrids thereof, which, due to its nature, has habits or the potential to impact the environment.

Anyone possessing Reptiles of Concern must be licensed, pay a fee of $100 per year, and meet new caging requirements. It is unlawful to release Reptiles of Concern to the wild or allow their escape. Anyone exhibiting or selling Reptiles of Concern must provide an inventory biannually. Anyone possessing Reptiles of Concern for personal use must provide an inventory annually and upon change of inventory.

Venomous Reptiles – Cage Enclosure ID System

Anyone possessing venomous reptiles must clearly mark each cage or enclosure with a card or sign stating “Danger Venomous Reptile.” The card or sign must also include the identification of the species inside by both common and scientific name. The card or sign must be clearly visible at all times and accompany the venomous reptile when removed from the cage for cleaning or transport.

Nonnative Venomous Reptiles and Reptiles of Concern – Identification and Tagging Requirements

Live Nonnative Venomous Reptiles and Reptiles of Concern possessed for personal use must be permanently identified.

Each specimen of Nonnative Venomous Reptiles must be permanently identified by photograph or by implantation of a passive integrated transponder (PIT tag, also referred to as a microchip). Each specimen of Reptiles of Concern must be permanently identified by implantation of a PIT tag.

PIT tags must be implanted in the last 1/3 of the snake’s body forward of the anal plate. PIT tagging is required when the snake is 2 inches or greater in diameter. Nonnative venomous lizards and Nile monitor lizards of any size must be implanted in the body cavity forward of the hind leg, or in the hind leg. Owners must keep a record of the PIT tag number and specimen information.

Nonnative Venomous Reptiles and Reptiles of Concern – Escape

Anyone licensed or permitted to possess Nonnative Venomous Reptiles or Reptiles of Concern must report any escape to the FWC immediately upon discovery.

Record Keeping and Reporting Requirements – Venomous Reptiles (all) or Reptiles of Concern

Anyone licensed to possess live venomous reptiles or Reptiles of Concern now must maintain accurate records of all changes in inventory (e.g., births, deaths, acquisition, sales and transfers) on forms provided by the FWC. Records must be open to inspection on request by FWC personnel.

Anyone who exhibits or sells live venomous reptiles or Reptiles of Concern must submit the inventory records twice a year: once upon renewal of their license and again 6 months later. Anyone possessing live venomous reptiles or Reptiles of Concern for personal use must submit the inventory records upon renewal of their license and on any instance of inventory change."



In short, for lionfish in an aquarium, chip 'em, tax 'em, and fine the heck out of anyone who releases them. Use the funds recovered to help get them off the reefs.

Just my thoughts.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom