Lionfish hunting in Bonaire

[Jay Harris]

I agree with kharon. I’m a DM and just spent 2 months spearing lionfish in Curaçao, which although is open, still has and will always have a lionfish problem. I’ve speared in a dozen countries in the Caribbean, have the PADI certification as well as been through the mandatory training in Grand Cayman and Routan. So it’s frustrating that there is not an internationally recognized certification that allows me to spear anywhere with my own spears. And those diveshops and countries that are exploiting the lionfish problem and claiming they have the lionfish under control are doing a disservice to divers and the environment. They should follow the lead of the US mainland and USVI. Sure there will alway be inexperienced divers who damage coral, however that problem is minor and overemphasized. I’ll not dive Bonaire as much as I’d like to, however will be heading back to Curaçao and other open countries.

 

[Steelyeyes]

While I think the Bonaire lion fish hunting regulations are cumbersome I see far fewer lion fish there than in a lot of other places so it must be working. I didn't even see many when we were diving the east side of the island.

 

[nippurmagnum]

I asked a dive shop in Bonaire about doing the Lion Fish course during a trip two years ago. The shop said that the course qualified you only to go back to spear with a guide. The cost of the guided dive was pretty close to the cost of the course. So I asked the shop whether any of their newly "certified" lion fish hunters ever came back for a repeat hunt with a guide. They said "not once." So, I think the course is just as novelty type of thing, at least where Bonaire is concerned. Having said that, I've seen A LOT more lion fish in Roatan and Puerto Rico than I ever saw in Bonaire.

 

[caydiver]

I am delighted that there is not an umbrella that allows people to just come down and start spearing. There are so many folks who simply don’t have good buoyancy and are totally oblivious to it. The amount of times we see divers with cameras standing on coral, holding on, sinking, kicking up sand in swim throughs is quite amazing. I cannot imagine having those folks in the water with a spear! Since ops cannot know who is capable and who is not, it makes more since to control who can spear in a given location so everyone can remain safe and enjoy their dives. Also local laws differ from place to place. Here in Cayman spear fishing is regulated, some countries it isn’t. The Caribbean is not just one big country. Happily our sightings are way down!

 

[hroark2112]

I would pay for a certification if it allowed me to then go find and kill them on my own and was good on return visits.

There are plenty of spots where the population is significant, but most divers never get there. I have seen places on the island with 100+ on a dive. It requires either multiple tanks or a rebreather to get to them, but they are there.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I was told that the only people that can hunt them on their own after the course and the $100 deposit to STINAPA for the ELF are island residents.

 

[Kharon]

I was told that the only people that can hunt them on their own after the course and the $100 deposit to STINAPA for the ELF are island residents.

I believe that is true. Residents can apply for permission (license?) and then can hunt as much as they want. I think there are some restrictions on who qualifies.

 

[AdivingBel]

It seems pretty clear to me that Bonaire officials have chosen to support "tourist based" lionfish hunting as a one-off, fun activity and their true eradication project (if they have one) is based on local support (hunters). Whether I agree or not, after seeing tourists with spears boarding boats in other locales covered in coral debris, I think it's within the benefit of the doubt that they feel one causes as much (or more) damage than the other. Their reef, their call. I for one am happy to just go there and dive. I don't mean any disrespect to conscientious hunters all over the Caribbean who have damaged and eaten the hoard of the invasive species. All IMHO, YMMV. I love "dive freedom."

 

[Kharon]

It seems pretty clear to me that Bonaire officials have chosen to support "tourist based" lionfish hunting as a one-off, fun activity and their true eradication project (if they have one) is based on local support (hunters). Whether I agree or not, after seeing tourists with spears boarding boats in other locales covered in coral debris, I think it's within the benefit of the doubt that they feel one causes as much (or more) damage than the other. Their reef, their call. I for one am happy to just go there and dive. I don't mean any disrespect to conscientious hunters all over the Caribbean who have damaged and eaten the hoard of the invasive species. All IMHO, YMMV. I love "dive freedom."

+1 - well said!!!

 

[Jay Harris]

For Caydiver and Adiving Bel, I believe you missed my main point. I don’t advocate sticking a spear in any just any diver’s hand. Really just the opposite. For those countries who want to regulate spearing, (and even those that don’t currently) I’m suggesting an internationally recognized certification that permits spearing in any country. The criteria a diver must meet for that certification could be as demanding as necessary, and could be more demanding than some countries require. To get my certification in Routan, all I had to do was listen to a briefing on lionfish, then spear a couple of coconuts underwater. An internationally recognized certification could require for instance the PADI Advanced Diver and PADI Lionfish certifications, (or equivalent certs from other agencies), and completion of a buoyancy control course. Make it as demanding as necessary to be recognized internationally. And if a diver doesn’t have the internationally recognized certification then sure, let those countries and dive shops require the training and collect their fees. And as much as I heard that lionfish were under control in Curacao, I regularly speared 10-12 on a single dive. Anyone that believes lionfish are under control in select areas are not diving deep enough or at the right time of day, or not searching hard enough or going beyond the commonly dived sites. And seeing only 2 or 3 on a dive doesn’t mean they are under control because there were a dozen more that the average dive group didn't see.