Are we as divers, doing enough to curb the issue of lionfish in the atlantic?

[Hank49]

I haven't dived to 180 feet here in Belize since before the lion fish invasion. I spend about 4-6 hours a week free diving from 10-70 feet though. I see them but I can't really say for sure that they've increased that much in the shallower depths over the last 3 years or so. And I can't say that I've seen a decrease in other reef fishes at those depths.

It is interesting that they're so much more abundant at depth. Perhaps this indicates that there are natural predators eating eggs in the shallower depths but not beyond 150 feet or so?

And the ones I see in the shallows seem to be hiding from something. Occasionally I see them out in the open but a lot are hiding in holes. From what?

 

[Akimbo]

Flots

Consider the consequences of a McLionFish level demand. You can't drag a net over the reefs, dynamite is frowned on, and harvesting by hand is too expensive. Peppering reefs with lionfish traps, if someone could develop one, would do far more damage than all the divers in the world have so far. Besides, traps are a very expensive way to harvest sea food. Careful what you wish for.

 

[flots am]

Flots

Consider the consequences of a McLionFish level demand. You can't drag a net over the reefs, dynamite is frowned on, and harvesting by hand is too expensive. Peppering reefs with lionfish traps, if someone could develop one, would do far more damage than all the divers in the world have so far. Besides, traps are a very expensive way to harvest sea food. Careful what you wish for.

There's probably a way to catch them without destroying the reef. Maybe there's a Lionfish pheromone for bating traps. I certainly don't know.

I do know that we've been very efficient a destroying anything there's a demand for.

 

[SailNaked]

I eat as many as I can, and I am a pretty good eater, but I do not think I am making as big a contribution as I can so I promise to eat more! I do not know if divers are changing the world but I can say that in Cozumel and Bonaire there are not many on the regular dived reefs.

 

[RJP]

And the ones I see in the shallows seem to be hiding from something. Occasionally I see them out in the open but a lot are hiding in holes. From what?

Just back from a week in the Bahamas where we saw 20 or more in shallow areas (20-50ft) on every dive... and they were often out and about on top of the reef. Didn't bother looking in holes for them; probably dozens more.

it's amazing that we can decimate nearly every other fishery and this one is giving us such a hard time

I do know that we've been very efficient a destroying anything there's a demand for.

We need to spread word that lionfish meat is a tremendous aphrodisiac... they'll be on the verge of extinction in no time!

 

[Rusty Roo]

I would like to drift the conversation away from saving the world. As like i said in my original post i remove plastic bags if i see them. in no way do i see myself saving the oceans from pollution but i feel morally obliged. so rather than looking at this as "how much impact am i actually having" just think of it as doing the reef a service. secondly i do not believe making lion fish a commercial food would be good as it would probably involve long lining, which is just the most disgusting practice of fishing ever created.

 

[Akimbo]

It depends on if you accept the math or not. Plug in any assumptions you find reasonable. Go ahead and gig/eat them if you think it will make any difference and/or you enjoy it. One thing for sure, they’re not endangered!

 

[diverrex]

I would like to drift the conversation away from saving the world. As like i said in my original post i remove plastic bags if i see them. in no way do i see myself saving the oceans from pollution but i feel morally obliged. so rather than looking at this as "how much impact am i actually having" just think of it as doing the reef a service. secondly i do not believe making lion fish a commercial food would be good as it would probably involve long lining, which is just the most disgusting practice of fishing ever created.

It's a nice thought but plastic bags are not venomous which is where the analogy breaks down.

I just got back from Fiji where they are natural and only saw 2 in 14 dives.

 

[RJP]

"Round up the usual suspects..."

 

[btw2459]

They are great eating when dipped in a beer batter. I try and kill as many as possible when I'm diving.