I have seen the look in their eyes. One of these times, WHAM, snapped by a snapper.....
Cozumel Marine Park Rules
- Thread starter soundfield
- Start date
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
I have seen the look in their eyes. One of these times, WHAM, snapped by a snapper.....
Pelagicsal
Dedicated Dive Bum
- Messages
- 4,470
- Reaction score
- 766
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
The mutton snappers tickle me when they sneak under me and sip a little lionfish from my fingers. They don't touch me at all. I just feel the lionfish slip away, look down and :blinking: = snapper expression.
A puddingwife waited long and patiently for my attention to be elsewhere to do the same. I was helping someone with dragging console, and poof! No more little lion. Its expression was more
. With those funky teeth sticking out, of course...
A puddingwife waited long and patiently for my attention to be elsewhere to do the same. I was helping someone with dragging console, and poof! No more little lion. Its expression was more
. With those funky teeth sticking out, of course...
Chilidog11
Registered
When we were diving, our DM had one he caught, cut up and placed in a pop bottle hanging off his gear. A snapper got to the bottle without the DM knowing and took out the lion fish.
gopbroek
Contributor
As for Mutton Snappers following humans around, yes they do I have also been told by active hunters that on occasion over the last year they would spot Lionfish for divers. A good friend watches for the Snappers and when he sees them real interested in a spot he will go check it out and often it is because a Lionfish is there. Last week I had a small one on a spear and the shot was not real good and it was very alive. There was no good place to pin it to while finishing it off so I went off the wall into open water with a Snapper nearby. I released it and it dove like a rocket for cover, the Snapper dove past made a U-turn and took it head on, without hesitation. I think the Snappers are hunting Lionfish if they can catch them away from cover and head on.
OP
soundfield
Contributor
The person in charge of Lionfish management for Cozumel's marine park contacted me today. He said that I will receive an email answering the question. Stay tuned to hear what the "officials" have to say on the subject. Now we're getting somewhere!
There we go. Give him a good kick....
OP
soundfield
Contributor
Here is the "official" response from the MPA Lionfish Manager for Mexico:
"Greetings and thank you for approaching to us to answer your questions if it is authorized the capture of lionfish inside the protected natural area Cozumel Reefs National Park (PNAC) as well who can do it.
First of all , I commented you that the correct term to use is the "capture" of lionfish within the ANP because the fishing for any type of marine species is prohibited , the case of lionfish as an invasive species is a problem to be counteract and control more if is a marine protected area.
In the beginning of the invasion we had approach with dive houses and dive staff (instructors , guides, boat captains and sailors ) to train them on the ecological impacts of this invasive species, why is important diminish their populations and the correctly form of capture, first we provide handed net bags and dry bags to promote his capture (Lad Akins REEF suggestion), more recently it has delivered to almost all PNAC authorized boats to to conduct diving activities in the PNAC with E.L.F. ( erradication lionfish ) these were donated by the city council in order to counteract their populations, however there is NO authorization for tourists and general public to capture within the MPA , the above, dive houses know about this regulation and should practice this activity conducted outside the park, because the inexperienced capture, bad techniques and handling of many tourists cause greater impact on reefs that the same lionfish.
The PADI specialty for capturing lionfish with E.L.F. is not over the rules of PNAC, so no one who possesses it can do it. I just want to clarify only divemasters and dive guides who have been previously trained them can remove lionfish from MPA. Other divers can do it outside MPA.
About if the guides and instructors fed native organisms with lionfish, we told them that for handling and management lionfish, preferably left in the water after sacrifice the organisms because the risk increases when they manipulate them more (e.g. get it on the boat to fillet).
However, we also know that the interest and curiosity of the guides to know which native predators can them that has led to the fishes as trigger fish, mutton snapper, eels, even lobsters. I've heard that even nurse sharks eat lionfish and stories of once a nurse sharks followed a group of divers to the surface bringing with it several lionfish.
I've talked with several guides who believe that offering lionfish to native organisms, they will recognize it as a potential prey, however we have emphasized that the above will happen at some point for reasons of natural adaptation in a medium and long term and not short, plus the way the guides offer the lionfish is not correct as native fish will not be found lionfish in pieces, crushed or killed in their natural habitat."
Now everyone knows the official park position on this subject..and you're welcome!
Adam D
"Greetings and thank you for approaching to us to answer your questions if it is authorized the capture of lionfish inside the protected natural area Cozumel Reefs National Park (PNAC) as well who can do it.
First of all , I commented you that the correct term to use is the "capture" of lionfish within the ANP because the fishing for any type of marine species is prohibited , the case of lionfish as an invasive species is a problem to be counteract and control more if is a marine protected area.
In the beginning of the invasion we had approach with dive houses and dive staff (instructors , guides, boat captains and sailors ) to train them on the ecological impacts of this invasive species, why is important diminish their populations and the correctly form of capture, first we provide handed net bags and dry bags to promote his capture (Lad Akins REEF suggestion), more recently it has delivered to almost all PNAC authorized boats to to conduct diving activities in the PNAC with E.L.F. ( erradication lionfish ) these were donated by the city council in order to counteract their populations, however there is NO authorization for tourists and general public to capture within the MPA , the above, dive houses know about this regulation and should practice this activity conducted outside the park, because the inexperienced capture, bad techniques and handling of many tourists cause greater impact on reefs that the same lionfish.
The PADI specialty for capturing lionfish with E.L.F. is not over the rules of PNAC, so no one who possesses it can do it. I just want to clarify only divemasters and dive guides who have been previously trained them can remove lionfish from MPA. Other divers can do it outside MPA.
About if the guides and instructors fed native organisms with lionfish, we told them that for handling and management lionfish, preferably left in the water after sacrifice the organisms because the risk increases when they manipulate them more (e.g. get it on the boat to fillet).
However, we also know that the interest and curiosity of the guides to know which native predators can them that has led to the fishes as trigger fish, mutton snapper, eels, even lobsters. I've heard that even nurse sharks eat lionfish and stories of once a nurse sharks followed a group of divers to the surface bringing with it several lionfish.
I've talked with several guides who believe that offering lionfish to native organisms, they will recognize it as a potential prey, however we have emphasized that the above will happen at some point for reasons of natural adaptation in a medium and long term and not short, plus the way the guides offer the lionfish is not correct as native fish will not be found lionfish in pieces, crushed or killed in their natural habitat."
Now everyone knows the official park position on this subject..and you're welcome!
Adam D
OP
soundfield
Contributor
Ron, that's how I took it, but I did ask for clarification and will post when received.
gopbroek
Contributor
Similar threads
