Lionfish

[geokr]

If the info is correct, they are at 8 times the level of fish per unit of measurement in the Bahamas as they are in their native habitat....like the southern Philippines. Given that we now see that they can reproduce out of control, I think it is prudent and practical to "weed the yard" by having working divemasters kill them on every dive. Here in Belize there is a bounty on them since there have now been three or four sitings. If, in time, we see that they stableize or reduce to normal levels of populations seen in their natural habitats, and the other reef fish numbers return to normal in places like the Bahamas, you're right, we'll stop the slaughter. But for now in Belize I'm going to kill every....single...one I see. Dead meat. What have we got to lose by trying? We have a pretty good idea of what will happen if we do nothing.
We've screwed up so many places with invasives....look at Hawaii. Anyway, I'm done.... KILL THE LIONFISH

Good on ya! The information is correct. But it's an average - some reefs have more, some less and it's not known yet if the density increase has stopped yet. On the last dive of our September survey, with a lot of people just relaxing and not catching, we caught 56 in 40 minutes. Caught, not speared, not observed, caught and bagged. One little dive area. And handling after catching them is a slow, careful process. We could have speared 100+. Gen San Chris hasn't seen that many in a hundred dives. Maybe we should send him some snakeheads, Nile fish, Great Lakes lampreys, etc. He would have a ball watching nature "accomodate them" in the Phillipines.

 

[Rhone Man]

It is not good news for the Caribbean, but you have to be realistic - trying to kill off all the Lionfish as divers happen across them is like King C'Nut trying to order back the tide. It just isn't going to happen. They are here to stay.

 

[geokr]

They are here to stay.

Maybe. I think the important thing to decide and enact now, right now, are effective programs that will protect the most commercially viable areas throughout the Caribbean and the Gulf - the fisheries and sport diving areas. These are where the money comes from, and people's livelihoods, fishing and tourism. You may have to get very creative about how you're going to do that and it's going to take a big effort. Promoting "hunting expeditions" by visiting divers to help protect the diving areas might be one way to control the populations there at no cost and it could also benefit dive operators.

 

[Unibrook]

I heard GC is trying to teach grouper to eat lionfish. Dunno if I stated that quite right, but that is what I heard. Can we train grouper to eat our politicians?

 

[divesergeant]

I heard GC is trying to teach grouper to eat lionfish. Dunno if I stated that quite right, but that is what I heard. Can we train grouper to eat our politicians?

Sounds like great idea. We should apply for a government grant to study it.

 

[Gen San Chris]

Ah, nobody loves Chris on this thred! I still believe that people are panicing too much about this so called invasion! At Maharlika Beach, my training site, on a night dive it is not unusual to see 20 or more Lion Fish in hunting mode but we still have lots of small fish around and they cirtainly have not devoured 80% of the small fish stocks or anywhere near that!
You will allow people to catch them using scuba which is illegal as you say, what comes next!
The easy way to catch them is by using a wide mouth containor like a gallon Mayonaise jar, just move it to the Lion Fish and trap it with the lid and remove it from the water if you must! If you approach them slowly then they are cool! If you must remove them then at least put them in aquariums so people can appreciate their beauty!
Say what you want, I still think they should be left alone and let nature do its own thing without interferance from man!
Some people say that Crown of Thorns Sea Stars should be left alone, Who really knows whats best!

 

[Rhone Man]

I heard GC is trying to teach grouper to eat lionfish. Dunno if I stated that quite right, but that is what I heard. Can we train grouper to eat our politicians?

People have been trying for years around here to train the sharks to eat the lawyers without success. I think it is a professional courtesy thing.

 

[carriemak]

Sounds like great idea. We should apply for a government grant to study it

I want to be part of that government grant study!

 

[divesergeant]

Of course, on the other hand, I have too much respect for groupers to ask them to eat anything so foul!

 

[knotical]

Since this thread is on Lionfish and in the Cayman Islands forum, I was surprised this article, that appeared in the Compass last week, has not yet been mentioned:
Cayman Islands - Cay Compass News Online - Dive pros join lionfish battle

Pretty good article, but I do question this part:

there have been cases of people being stung in unprovoked encounters with lionfish. They either didn’t know the fish was there or they were minding their own business and the lionfish came out and actively stung the individual.