Lionfish in Belize

[Hank49]

I just read on Spearboard that they've been sighted here. I haven't seen one yet but if I do, it's dead. I urge everyone who sees them to kill them.
Archman will be pleased. But seriously, if there are only a few right now and we all murder the bastards, it'd be interesting to see if maybe we can slow the onslaught.

 

[peterbj7]

Extraordinary. Over here on Thatch Caye we were talking about this this evening, without knowing there were any here.

 

[archman]

I like the way Hank thinks.

 

[Hank49]

They should give every dive master a small Hawaiian three prong sling to take on every dive...Eco dives, if you will....how to eradicate invasive species and save the beautiful reefs here....and give them one Belikin for everyone they get. Hell, give spears to all the tourists if they want to try. It'd be easy to kill them and leave them for the crabs.

 

[Hank49]

Extraordinary. Over here on Thatch Caye we were talking about this this evening, without knowing there were any here.

Are you still going to be there Sunday? I'm planning on getting out. It's flooding here...I can't get out the Coastal Rd even with my F350. Water is 3 feet deep right now.
I'll try to hook up with Jorge though and hopefully we'll pass by Thatch Caye on the way south.
Tell Travis to get a bunch of three prongs and give them to all the tourists. For every 10 lionfish they kill I'll give him a box of shrimp or a couple groupers.

 

[peterbj7]

Sadly Hank I'll have left by then. Either Sunday morning or more likely Saturday. Have to meet next time!

I'll pass on the message to Travis. Make sure to talk to Ian, the new resident instructor here, about lionfish.

 

[rsiegel]

As a casual reader of scuba board I came across this post and I have to ask what is wrong with lionfish. I am from California so we don't have any here, but I have seen them in Indonesia, Egypt, Bonaire, and Belize. My wife and I find them kind of cool to look at.

So what are they doing to you guys over there?

Curious

Randy.

P.S. I'll spear anything for a Belikin.

 

[dive1]

They have been spotted in the Virgin Islands as well, and as harsh as it may seem I agree... you must kill it or they could do a lot of harm, and notify the local authorities. But it must be pointed out only to kill lion fish where they don't belong.

 

[dive1]

In answer to rsiegel question and it is a good one, lion fish do not belong in the caribbean, more than likely someone had a fish tank and for what ever reason dumped them in the ocean. Lion fish in the Virgin Islands have no natural predators therefore other fish do not know what they are so they can destroy the reef fish having a drastic effect on the environment. There is more to it but if they repopulate in the caribbean this is a bad thing. I dive every day and have not seen one as yet, but if I do I have no choice but to kill it and bring it to fish and wildlife as that is what the want divers to do.

 

[Hank49]

As a casual reader of scuba board I came across this post and I have to ask what is wrong with lionfish. I am from California so we don't have any here, but I have seen them in Indonesia, Egypt, Bonaire, and Belize. My wife and I find them kind of cool to look at.

So what are they doing to you guys over there?

Curious

Randy.

P.S. I'll spear anything for a Belikin.

When and where did you see a lionfish in Belize?
I would guess it's a matter of time before they show up here and then populate at whatever rate will sustain them. As an invasive species though, they are easy to spot and don't swim fast, so easy to kill with a Hawaiian sling and safely remove it from the spear without poking yourself.