Eel Attack in Cozumel (The Feeding of Lionfish)

[DandyDon]

1: Divers feeding the eels is simply going to make them expect food from divers and go after them. Stop it.

2: If the groupers, eels, etc are going to develop a taste for lionfish, they will do that on their own with the flashy, slow juveniles.

But it doesn't look good...

 

[joyceschur]

By "filleting" I mean that after the lionfish had been speared, a knife was employed to remove spines and further section the fish.

And here's a PS: Immediately after the attack, I made a CEA (not knowing if venom was involved or if I was at risk for losing consciousness). So besides the wound, I was also at risk for DCI. The hired guide, who'd been stung by a lionfish spine and was totally preoccupied, wasn't even aware of my situation.

Fortunately, an experienced dive buddy was sharp enough to dump air from my BCD. Taking control of my gear and the ascent, he made sure I was breathing and got me safely to surface

I consider myself lucky: there was no venom, no loss of consciousness, no stitches, no DCI, and the biggest concern was systemic infection. Thanks to all who expressed concern. I'm fine, but just want to raise awareness about the inappropriate aspects of this incident.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

By "filleting" I mean that after the lionfish had been speared, a knife was employed to remove spines and further section the fish.

And here's a PS: Immediately after the attack, I made a CEA (not knowing if venom was involved or if I was at risk for losing consciousness). So besides the wound, I was also at risk for DCI. The hired guide, who'd been stung by a lionfish spine and was totally preoccupied, wasn't even aware of my situation.

Fortunately, an experienced dive buddy was sharp enough to dump air from my BCD. Taking control of my gear and the ascent, he made sure I was breathing and got me safely to surface

I consider myself lucky: there was no venom, no loss of consciousness, no stitches, no DCI, and the biggest concern was systemic infection. Thanks to all who expressed concern. I'm fine, but just want to raise awareness about the inappropriate aspects of this incident.

You are an experienced Divemaster and you were worried that a moray eel had injected you with poison and after suffering a minor eel bite you made an emergency ascent and needed somebody else to work YOUR dive gear so you didn't die????

Didn't they cover stuff like this in all the dive courses you completed to become a divemaster? Didn't you consider what you would do in an underwater mergency? Getting an eel bite is not that unusual; I've been bit several times (and I know it hurts like hell).

However, i tend to agree that feeding predators in areas where tourist divers frequent is not a good idea. Feeding eels is teaching them that divers means food.. That is no different than chumming for sharks to allow people to do shark dives. The consequences of a shark bite are probably more significant than an eel.

So we think feeding sharks is fine, but feeding eels is bad? I'm so confused?

 

[DandyDon]

Dumpster, I suppose than pain & surprise could have clouded the issue for anyone. Reactions could easily vary.

 

[fire_diver]

And here's a PS: Immediately after the attack, I made a CEA (not knowing if venom was involved or if I was at risk for losing consciousness). So besides the wound, I was also at risk for DCI. The hired guide, who'd been stung by a lionfish spine and was totally preoccupied, wasn't even aware of my situation.

Fortunately, an experienced dive buddy was sharp enough to dump air from my BCD. Taking control of my gear and the ascent, he made sure I was breathing and got me safely to surface

I consider myself lucky: there was no venom, no loss of consciousness, no stitches, no DCI, and the biggest concern was systemic infection. Thanks to all who expressed concern. I'm fine, but just want to raise awareness about the inappropriate aspects of this incident.

I have agree with Dumpster diver (and that is a true rarity). Those don't sound like the actions of a DM with over 200 dives experience. Things aren't adding up in this tale.

Also, you said you made a CESA, but then you said a buddy helped you make a controlled ascent. Which was it?

 

[fire_diver]

Dumpster, I suppose than pain & surprise could have clouded the issue for anyone. Reactions could easily vary.

But not questions like thinking a moray is venemous, or that a CESA from a rec profile will result in a bend.

 

[vladimir]

So we think feeding sharks is fine?

No, we don't.

 

[fire_diver]

We were "attacked" by a VERY LARGE moray eel in Cozmel in December. Luckily it didn't bite me or my buddy.

I found out after the dive that the DM in the group ahead of us had been feeding the eel some Lionfish only minutes before we arrived on the scene.

Here is the viscious bugger:

That could explain why we saw a HUGE moray in the open area of a swim through. It never tried to swim away, which I thought was very strange at the time.

 

[DandyDon]

But not questions like thinking a moray is venemous, or that a CESA from a rec profile will result in a bend.

I'm a big bad cowboy Marine who used to compete to see who could kill the rattlesnake with the shorter stick as a dumb kid (now I would not kill one on open range), but getting bit by a moray in the water could spook me. I might not think of venom but who knows how I could react in the spur of the moment.

And a CESA does include some risks.

That could explain why we saw a HUGE moray in the open area of a swim through. It never tried to swim away, which I thought was very strange at the time.

Yeah they naturally hide in coral ready to ambush. Stop bating them...!!

 

[paddler3d]

Unless we teach the groupers and eels how to spear and fillet lionfish, there is a flaw in the logic.

They are really just teaching the groupers and eels that divers have food.