Blue Magic Lionfish Tournament (from Undercurrent)

[scubawife]

Cozumel Lionfish Tournament with Blue Magic Scuba: Since mid-summer, lionfish seem to have proliferated on Cozumel's reefs, and Blue Magic Scuba has decided to do something to control a fish that threatens to decimate other marine life. From February 1 through June 15, Blue Magic is sponsoring a Lionfish Tournament and awarding prizes for such accomplishments as the most killed and the largest. You spot the lionfish, the divemaster catches it and the more lionfish caught, the more chances you have to win. Prizes include free diving at Blue Magic Scuba, a $500 gift certificate for gear at the local dive shop of your choice, and a four-night stay at the Fiesta Americana, which also includes diving. To get all the details, go here and click on the Lionfish tournament link in the lower left, or get the latest update here. For more information or to book, call Blue Magic toll-free at 866-712-6161 or e-mail joyce@bluemagicscuba.com.

I read this in the Undercurrent Update email I got this morning. Will this be EVERY dive with this shop? While I am 200% behind the need to do what we can to control the lionfish population, I hope this doesn't become a trend with Cozumel dive shops. I don't think I want my Cozumel diving to become 90% lionfish search & capture and 10% enjoying the dive and paying attention to everything else on the reefs and walls.

I've heard that other dive ops are thinking about going out on afternoon dives or designating dives specifically for lionfish "hunts." That's good. Divers who want to dive solely for that purpose can do so on those dives. I would sign up for some of those dives.

Of course if I saw a lionfish on a dive I would get the DM's attention and point it out, I just don't want to have searching for them become the sole focus of all my dives.

 

[BaileyM]

Hi ScubaWife, I got my Undercurrents email this morning too and read with interest about the tournament. I have been diving with Blue Magic before, and will do so again (maybe so I can win more FREE diving). I am not sure how hunting for lion fish can be the sole focus of any dive, unless a specific diver wants to concentrate on finding them during their dive for the DM to capture. I feel like you do about enjoying the entire dive and my surroundings. That being said, on my vacation this summer I found a few lion fish myself for the DM to capture, while looking for other critters - under ledges, around coral formations, etc. and was thrilled to point them out. So, I suppose it could be fun for some divers to 'hunt' for them who really want to, and others (like you and me) to just go about our dives.....

 

[Gdog]

Hmm...good question! Will be diving with Blue Magic in 3 weeks, will find out first hand.

 

[scubawife]

Hi ScubaWife, I got my Undercurrents email this morning too and read with interest about the tournament. I have been diving with Blue Magic before, and will do so again (maybe so I can win more FREE diving). I am not sure how hunting for lion fish can be the sole focus of any dive, unless a specific diver wants to concentrate on finding them during their dive for the DM to capture. I feel like you do about enjoying the entire dive and my surroundings. That being said, on my vacation this summer I found a few lion fish myself for the DM to capture, while looking for other critters - under ledges, around coral formations, etc. and was thrilled to point them out. So, I suppose it could be fun for some divers to 'hunt' for them who really want to, and others (like you and me) to just go about our dives.....

If there's prizes of free diving, money and hotel stays at stake, I can see it turning to a search every nook and cranny to find the lionfish vs point them out when you see them during the course of a dive.

I'm sure this would get a shop some new business - divers who do want to focus on the lionfish hunt, and those who want the prizes... they are still paying the regular price for the dives so the shop makes money. Guess they'll have to see how big of a draw it is and how their repeat divers feel about it... could also end up losing some repeat business if it becomes all about the "tournament" and vying for the prizes.

Will be interesting to watch what happens... could go either way. And really, with so many great shops to choose from on the island, if they have divers who aren't keen on it, there are other choices.

 

[bradsab]

Hmm...good question! Will be diving with Blue Magic in 3 weeks, will find out first hand.

Gdog, let us know how it works out. We're going in March, and I told Joyce I'll be happy to point out any lionfish we see, but I wouldn't want to sacrifice good diving for hunting. Don't get to dive near 'nuff, so I wanna look at everything.

 

[scubawife]

Gdog, let us know how it works out. We're going in March, and I told Joyce I'll be happy to point out any lionfish we see, but I wouldn't want to sacrifice good diving for hunting. Don't get to dive near 'nuff, so I wanna look at everything.

As divers who enjoy our time spent u/w in Cozumel, we should ALL be doing this on every dive anyway, without the incentive of money, free dives and hotel stays.

During a Cozumel trip I would sign up for a couple lionfish dives if I had the opportunity to do so, but I wouldn't want the dive shops I choose to turn all their dives into a "find the lionfish" contest.

 

[geokr]

I think this is a valid concern but one that could easily be rectified if provisions were made that this sort of activity is limited to those who want to participate on certain dives while other trips forego the hunt. How that gets done ought to be up to Blue Magic but I think an approach could easily be developed that's suitable for both the hunters and the cruisers. Not all ops are going to do something like this, not all trips have to include a hunt. It's a step in the right direction, IMO, which will be more necessary to take as the population establishes itself. Good on Blue Magic for taking it.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Is this the same place that says divers can't wear gloves because they can't be trusted to not harm the environment and now they want to put weapons in people's hands? Pole spearing without gloves is a very bad idea if you use finerglass poles.