Cozumel shortage of Lionfish

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Lion Fish have gone deep. This past 21 days of diving (36 dives) only 6 were harvested. Talk to the ones that deep dive, like 120 ft and below. They are every where. No mass hunting at these depths.
 
Too bad divers cant dive east side regularly, I bet they are thiiiiiick over there.
 
I do not believe they migrated deep. I think we have hunted them out on the upper portions of the southern reef and over the last year we have now put a major dent in the population in the 110' - 150' range, now that that area is being hunted hard. I was on a ceviche run a week back in an area of the wall that normally produces well. Hit it long and hard to 150' and found 2 medium and 2 dinks, it had been picked pretty clean. A friend who is a DM found a cave at 160' with a nest in it and fill a zoo keeper 3/4 full. On two previous dives over the wall that day I found very few down to 150', these same areas were the go to areas only a year back.
When left alone I believe they mature due to a lack of any other predators but I think they tend to stay close to a specific area, when there is migration I would think it is due to a lack of food and they would migrate upwards to the higher food density. This explains the occasional mature fish I see in calm currents in the open around 100' between the top of the wall and the reef itself.
 
Damn, ate lion a couple years back on coz. I would like to eat some more next time
 
East side has to be infested though I would think.........
 
I do not believe they migrated deep. I think we have hunted them out on the upper portions of the southern reef and over the last year we have now put a major dent in the population in the 110' - 150' range, now that that area is being hunted hard. I was on a ceviche run a week back in an area of the wall that normally produces well. Hit it long and hard to 150' and found 2 medium and 2 dinks, it had been picked pretty clean. A friend who is a DM found a cave at 160' with a nest in it and fill a zoo keeper 3/4 full. On two previous dives over the wall that day I found very few down to 150', these same areas were the go to areas only a year back.
When left alone I believe they mature due to a lack of any other predators but I think they tend to stay close to a specific area, when there is migration I would think it is due to a lack of food and they would migrate upwards to the higher food density. This explains the occasional mature fish I see in calm currents in the open around 100' between the top of the wall and the reef itself.

I'm not an ichthyologist, but I don't think they "migrate". I think they go where the eggs take them, and will multiply rapidly in an area where they aren't being hunted. With rec people (like me) not going below 120', the ones that land there are thriving by not being hunted. They are like fire ants.
 
I'm not an ichthyologist, but I don't think they "migrate". I think they go where the eggs take them, and will multiply rapidly in an area where they aren't being hunted. With rec people (like me) not going below 120', the ones that land there are thriving by not being hunted. They are like fire ants.
I don't think so either. I think the eggs and larvae follow the currents around the Caribbean, and they'll eat almost anything. I fear that the gyre will carry them all over the north Atlantic and on into the south as well. They are also found in the Mediterranean, invading from the Suez and probably released by aquarium hobbyists when they get too large. I once saw two fruit piranhas in New Mexico's Blue Hole, but they didn't survive long.
 
I still maintain if they want to make them extinct, spread rumors that they are like eating Rhino horns.........ultimate male enhancement! Will be hunted to extinction real quick LOL! :)
 

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