Another Lion fish dinner

[kentmorrdave]

Went north and of course many more lionfish. The bummer is as many as 6-8 little fish in their bellies, AMAZING!! Two of them had roe sacks in them and they were very tasty just quickly pan fried, and the filets made nice sandwiches. I really wonder where this lionfish invasion will take us.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

That is one thing I would be happy to participate in. I did look for lionfish on the menus while I was down in PDC. Their numbers need to be hunted until they are unsustainable.

 

[Woodiver]

Dave,

Missing your pezole, fried chicken and fresh baked corn bread during the surface intervals. Great cooking! Hopefully you and your family are having a great vacation.
We need to get back to CZM soon.

Karen & Brian

 

[kentmorrdave]

well we have had apple crisp, banana cake and rum cake, brownies too!

Dave,

Missing your pezole, fried chicken and fresh baked corn bread during the surface intervals. Great cooking! Hopefully you and your family are having a great vacation.
We need to get back to CZM soon.

Karen & Brian

 

[ggunn]

That is one thing I would be happy to participate in. I did look for lionfish on the menus while I was down in PDC. Their numbers need to be hunted until they are unsustainable.

Nice thought but it isn't going to happen. Lionfish can go a lot more places than divers can; no amount of hunting will eradicate them. Don't get me wrong; killing them on sight is a good idea and has significantly lowered their numbers in dive areas, but as soon as we stop doing that, they will be back in force.

 

[schu1842]

Just got back from Cozumel last Saturday. We were diving with Aqua Safari and saw a large lionfish in a swim through on Palancar. The divemaster did not spear it. I asked after the dive why and he said they didn't carry spears. I've been on a hunt in Grand Cayman and the teams on our boat took out 62. The DMs on my previous Cozumel dives always killed the lionfish we came across. I was surprised we left this one free to eat on Palancar.

 

[cvchief]

Just got back from Cozumel last Saturday. We were diving with Aqua Safari and saw a large lionfish in a swim through on Palancar. The divemaster did not spear it. I asked after the dive why and he said they didn't carry spears. I've been on a hunt in Grand Cayman and the teams on our boat took out 62. The DMs on my previous Cozumel dives always killed the lionfish we came across. I was surprised we left this one free to eat on Palancar.

I think there might be some argument made that stopping to spear lionfish is taking away from the divers experience and distracting the DM's attention. However this, I think, is short sighted. I think we should proceed as Wetbeforethewater said, hunt until they are unsustainable. Of course like Gunn said, it won't happen, but like me drinking one more margarita, we have to try.

I would email Aqua Safari and tell them you care about the reef and think every DM should be spearing. Let them hear from the other side.

 

[MMM]

Lots of ops' DMs carry spears but maybe Aqua safari does not. The guy I dive with carries two fish aquarium nets and catches then kills them by hand. However, it can be problematic to stop and kill a lion fish in a swim through, with a spear or a net, for the guy leading the dive, if ANY of the divers behind him/her have insufficient skills to hover motionless in the swim through while this is occurring.

Just got back from Cozumel last Saturday. We were diving with Aqua Safari and saw a large lionfish in a swim through on Palancar. The divemaster did not spear it. I asked after the dive why and he said they didn't carry spears. I've been on a hunt in Grand Cayman and the teams on our boat took out 62. The DMs on my previous Cozumel dives always killed the lionfish we came across. I was surprised we left this one free to eat on Palancar.

 

[bobfmdc]

" The divemaster did not spear it. I asked after the dive why and he said they didn't carry spears. "

Very interesting change in policy. Last time I was in Coz was July 2012 and the Aqua Safari guides were very aggressively spearing lionfish. Since then, Aqua Safari was sold to a new owner.......

 

[Dave Dillehay]

No matter who spears them, they make the most delicious ceviche known to man. Last Wednesday we were WAY up north and our fisherman guide nailed three giant lobster but no lion fish. I was pissed! On the next dive with sleeping sharks he brought up a gallon of Lion Fish meat. I really do like it much more than any seafood I have ever eaten…if you get a chance try it as ceviche…not tiny fried filets.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers