Lionfish Everywhere!!

[SFLDiver3445]

Over the past few weekends I've completed a few dives in the Boca and Pompano Beach area. My dives have consisted of both reefs and wrecks, including a couple of deep wrecks (Hydro Atlantic (175') & Lowrance (200'+)).

Sadly I must report that I've seen Lionfish on every single dive. On the Hydro Atlantic, I saw no less than 6, and on the Lowrance yesterday, I only saw 1, but another diver on the boat with us reported seeing several.

I was on a livaboard a few years ago in the Grand Bahamas area, and I saw what Lionfish did to the population of fish there.

If they already populate both deep and shallow areas here locally, at this rate, I fear their invasion of South Florida may already be unstoppable!

 

[annasea]

Might be time to consider joining your friends in the caves up north.

 

[SFLDiver3445]

Might be time to consider joining your friends in the caves up north.

Hi Anna, I'll leave the caves to those who enjoy looking at wet rocks!

Plus, at the rate the Lionfish population is multiplying here, I suspect it won't be long before they end up living in the caves as well.

 

[Jax]

Might be time to consider joining your friends in the caves up north.

Better yet, how about all you cave divers come down and go on a killing spree!

 

[SFLDiver3445]

Better yet, how about all you cave divers come down and go on a killing spree!

I hear about all the folks carrying pole spears and killing Lionfish. However, I dive with a closed-circuit rebreather, and Florida Statue prohibits us from harvesting ANYTHING!

So if I get caught with a pole spear on me, the FWC Officer might be understanding of my explanation of its use and let me slide.:cool3: On the other hand, and in my experience, FWC Officers are unfortunately not all quite that understanding and tend to go by the book!:rtfm:

 

[Jax]

Sadly . . . this is where the FWC needs to write a new rule.

 

[fisheyeview]

Yeah, and enforcement usually includes taking all your gear as spoils of war.

 

[SFLDiver3445]

Sadly . . . this is where the FWC needs to write a new rule.

That would make me a very happy bubbless diver!!!

 

[SFLDiver3445]

Yeah, and enforcement usually includes taking all your gear as spoils of war.

It wouldn't surprise me if that were the case, even if just using the excuse of securing evidence as their justification!

That's why I'm extra careful not to provoke FWC in any way whatsoever!

 

[Teljkon]

I have praposed working with some one with a whole salers license to hold a lion fish food festaval you may want to check out my thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/379567-lion-fishing-commercially.html

It will take work work im not willing to engage in on my own. The solution to these guys is to hunt and kill them at all depths it takes deep diving to selectivly remove them from an area like that. That takes lobbying for change, Lobbying takes money, gaining money takes public awarness its a matter of lining up the ducks in my mind.

A easy solution may be throw away spears I e some thing you can leave on the bottom like a pice of carbon steel or polished wood will simply rust or rot away you just remove the elastic. Keep in mind IDK the codes and laws of all this very well and how the FWC enforces it surley it cant be written so that just having a pointy stick on a boat with deep water equipment is illegal but then again there are stupider laws than that.

you could always claim you have a blind diver