Boneyard... Now serving Lionfish!

[Rickelpickel]

Diver's, watch out for these guys! This was the first I've seen of one in the Boneyard. The Lionfish is an invasive species with poisonous spines.. Don't worry, I don't believe there has been any reports of a diver being killed by one. They have little to no know natural predators here and love to eat our native reef fish:shocked2:. We've been getting a few reports of them in 20-30' from Boca to Venice in the last few months.. This guy was from Venice in 22-23' ft on 9-6-13. If you see any or kill any post it here!

 

[SavageRon]

This is not good news.
I woulda liked the post for reporting it, but there's nothing about Lionfish in Florida I can say I like. /grin

I've heard of a few being spotted in Tampa bay in the last few weeks too. Mostly smaller ones hanging out in wrecks, but that's how it started in the keys too.
Guess we all need to start fossil diving with pole spears.

 

[ReefGuy]

Looks like I'm tooth hunting with a polespear now.

 

[SOFDiver]

Take this report with a large grain of salt. My mate and I have been diving all over Venice including the ledges and hard bottom almost every day this season, and have not seen a Lion Fish. None of the local divers who come into the shop have reported any sightings either, this includes the spearfishermen who know all the fishy spots. I have seen a good number off shore on wrecks and places like the AJ Hole.

 

[Twisted Bones]

I have heard tale of them in the Sarasota area as well. Will carry my pole spear for the heck of it from now on.


Matt

 

[Aristakat]

Take this report with a large grain of salt. My mate and I have been diving all over Venice including the ledges and hard bottom almost every day this season, and have not seen a Lion Fish. None of the local divers who come into the shop have reported any sightings either, this includes the spearfishermen who know all the fishy spots. I have seen a good number off shore on wrecks and places like the AJ Hole.

2nd what Dan stated ,, seen them offshore but none YET in boneyard area sure they will get here soon enough... Dont think need to carry a polespear yet for them

 

[Rickelpickel]

Well, that may be true.. no pole spears yet. And, yes.. I've personally done over 350 dives in the boneyard in the last 4 years without seeing one.. I was merely bringing this to everyone's attention.. And yes, we dive here weekly, day in and day out, and have not spotted one this year this close in until now. In the last 3 weeks I have two fellow divers that live here locally that dive in close shallow from Englewood to Venice and they to have killed at least 3 in 30' or less.. all three were on ledges from Englewood to Manasota. I am not trying to panic people into carrying a pole spear on their shark tooth dives, just giving everyone on here a heads up..I would suggest everyone on here take every post and every report with a grain of salt. Lion fish don't hold up a big sign announcing their presence. They sit very still along structure and can easily go unnoticed in small numbers.. They also don't move about very quickly, so you can come back to the spot you saw them an hour ago, and they are likely to still be there.. Apparently Coast Guard Certified Vessels can't see lion fish only OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels) Can!

 

[monoxide]

I wouldn't mind going out and spearing a few when I can I heard they are good eating.