Lionfish/DM's don't care!

[tridacna]

Although I agree with your conclusion, what you say here is now generally believed to be false. Evolution is now believed not to be a smooth continuous process but to be a series of disjointed quantum leaps, probably associated with genetic mutation.

Quite untrue. Puncuated equilibria as opposed to phyletic gradualism is by no means accepted dogma. It is a theory with some support but by no means a done deal. Most discussion about evolution in this thread is dead wrong anyway. SJG would have loved you...

 

[Pelagicsal]

I'm not a fatalist. I am diving with guys who are going after lionfish with gusto! And I am helping them any way I can. If it doesn't do any good, so be it.
Makes me feel good to see them come off the reef, in any case.

The guys I am diving with LOVE Cozumel's reef system and work everyday to protect it from lionfish, stupid divers, silting...

Oh, by the way, who is the one DM that has caught 5 in a week? David of Aldora has. Someone else is working at that pace, too??

 

[ggunn]

Quite untrue. Puncuated equilibria as opposed to phyletic gradualism is by no means accepted dogma. It is a theory with some support but by no means a done deal. Most discussion about evolution in this thread is dead wrong anyway. SJG would have loved you...

Why are we (you guys, actually) even talking about evolution, anyway? Evolution isn't a player here. The lionfish didn't get to the Caribbean through evolution, and evolution won't provide a balance to them in any timeframe that is observable by us.

Through a screwup in human endeavors, lionfish have been introduced into the Caribbean. They are probably there to stay, unfortunately. We can try removing them by capturing or killing them, but whenever you see an adult lionfish, chances are that there are thousands of eggs somewhere close by.

Put in the same box as kudzu and water hyacinth in the southeastern US, rabbits in Australia, and feral pigs and goats on islands in the South Pacific. Oops.

 

[MMM]

Oh, by the way, who is the one DM that has caught 5 in a week. David of Aldora has. Someone else is working at that pace, too??

Jeremy at Living Underwater has about a half-dozen, last I heard which was a week or so ago. I think he and David are good friends.

 

[dtcmarical]

Sally,

Early in this thread it seemed ones were doubting that lionfish were sighted on 3 of my 5 dives in coz. I believe you were there for all 3 catchings and the one that got away. Maybe you can confirm. Is John still cooking up a feast? Tell everyone Hi.

Darrin

 

[Pelagicsal]

Darrin,
John, Cindy, et al took off on Saturday. Been empty without you guys! Will pass greetings to everyone else.

I could not bear to read this whole thread (I usually do that before posting), but I had to speak up for our guys who are doing the job. David is up to 8 total. Have been there for 6 of his 8.
I'd gladly confirm your 3 sightings in 5 dives. Hate that we saw them, but we did. And I'll confirm your assist for the big one!

Javier and I tried to wrangle one today, but we had the wrong bag and a diver who decided to kick up the bottom and make it impossible for us to see the fish. Grrrrrr....

Jerry found one on Saturday night's dive. Gustavo went into the overhang to get it, but when he pulled out his bag, the lionfish was about as big as the bag.
Their days are numbered, though.


MMM, thanks for the info. I'll quiz David about it. Wonder if they've been sharing technique... David's got it down to a science - whole process has become well less than a minute...

 

[MMM]

Yeah, Jeremy is good friends with one of the Aldora DMs and David strikes me as the right name. Easy on the eyes (if you're a woman), around 30, slim, dark, and very friendly. Do I have the right guy?

 

[tridacna]

Why are we (you guys, actually) even talking about evolution, anyway?

Because it's fun and about half of the US doesn't even believe in it anyway.

 

[MMM]

Because it's fun and about half of the US doesn't even believe in it anyway.

Less than half, I'm sure.... Scarey otherwise. Will check my Gallup subscription at work to see if I can find recent polling data.

 

[peterbj7]

Doesn't a large minority of Americans believe that the Earth is flat, and that it was created a few thousand years ago (whenever the Bible says it was)?