Eel Attack in Cozumel (The Feeding of Lionfish)

[Bratface]

I don't think we should feed anything in the ocean. I, too wonder about turning the whole lionfish encounter into a show. Lionfish are an unfortunate fact of life now in our waters. In St Thomas we spear them, remove then and go on about the dive. In St Croix they are chopping up the lionfish on the boat and returning the to the water for the fish to eat. They have many more than we have.

As for lionfish stings, use hot water to break down the venom. No need to burn yourself but as hot as can be comfortably tolerated. (You should be able to leave the compress on). The sting will hurt terribly for a few hours. Any issues with difficulty breathing, swelling, etc. should have immediate professional care (go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital).

 

[nitroxchic]

Do some reading. Morays carry ichthyotoxins that account for excessive pain and unusually heavy bleeding even when injuries are minor.

And D.D. - If "getting an eel bite is not that unusual" and you've been "bit several times", then no wonder you're so confused! Didn't they cover stuff like this in all the dive courses you completed to become an instructor?

 

[ibj40]

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.

I remember back in the old days on CZM (mid 80's to mid 90's), when it was standard practice to lift something off the breakfast table and stick it in your BC pocket and feed the fish during a dive. One dive, as I was minding my own business, another diver decided to make himself a feeding station, and released a cloud of breakfast rolls into the water. As you might imagine, every fish within that part of the reef came running, and in the frenzy, I got bit on one of my fingers (sorry, maybe I should have had my hands closer in). Wasn't serious enough to abort the dive, but it did bleed openly and ultimately leave a scar when it healed.

A couple of trips later (back then I was going down there four or five times a year), diving with the same dive shop, on the way out to the reef, another diver produced a bag full of biscuits. The dive guide looked at him and asked: "Hey, how many fish did you see on line at the bakery this morning?"

Cozumel diving had finally matured to not feeding fish during dives, and we watched as the reefs returned to normal, and the fish became self-dependent.

I can already feel the commentary: But lionfish aren't breakfast breads!

Well, in my opinion, they are. The fact that the dive community is creating an artificial food chain, and the predator fish (grouper and morays) aren't having to exercise their natural instincts, means that the situation is not going to heal itself.

I'm not a marine biologist, but it seems as though lessons learned in the past might ought to be revisited. If the invasive species is going to be dealt with, then the native species need to create their own defense. I keep wondering about the protections afforded to all species within the Marine Park. Aren't we condoning a violation of sorts?

Sorry, my 2 pesos.

 

[Ayisha]

This guy was out in all it's glory in Cozumel, laying out in the midday sun. There was no feeding or enticing, just a bunch of surprised divers to see it all out in the open. It happens:

 

[WetBoy101]

This guy was out in all it's glory in Cozumel, laying out in the midday sun. There was no feeding or enticing, just a bunch of surprised divers to see it all out in the open. It happens:

Gee, do you think he could have been waiting for his next "free meal"?

 

[Shasta_man]

Associating divers with food seems obvious.

And how are the eels going to fillet the lionfish on their own to avoid the venom?

animals aren't vicious, they just use their skills to eat.

 

[Sue Sue]

Animal behavior is in general the same. For instance, in feeding the Moray eel, it will eventually associate that funny looking fish in neoprene with a flashy stick as an easy way to get a free meal. Same scenario for a Bear, if people feed the bears they too will assume there is more where that came from. Over the course of raising our sons from little Cub Scouts to Eagle Scouts, the mantra of "A fed bear is a dead bear" became just as important as "Be Prepared" . Eventually, aggressive bears are killed because they become too dangerous. Sadly, the same could very well happen to an aggressive Moray. What a sad day that would be for the Marine Park.

So what is the solution ? Kill lionfish but don't feed them to other fish. Contain the dead fish as to not allow Groupers, Moray's and other fish to detect them, then bring them up and take them home for dinner ? Use the teenie lionfish as perhaps fertilizer ? Capture and contain live lionfish and relocate them in the easy reach of predators but not in a way that the Grouper or Moray know where the meal came from ?

Joyce, I hope your wounds heal quickly and I thank you for posting your experience. I am also going to give kudo's to your dive buddy for being there for you and to both of you for doing what needed to be done to get to the surface safely. Regardless of a diver's advanced certification level, it is prudent not to assume he or she can handle an incident like this or of any kind on their own. At least once you are up on shore or in the boat you will be around to talk about what happened and not wondering if you or your buddy should have tried to help and didn't.

 

[Doc Harry]

Associating divers with food seems obvious.

And how are the eels going to fillet the lionfish on their own to avoid the venom?

animals aren't vicious, they just use their skills to eat.

I was being facetious about being "attacked" by a "vicious" eel. In retrospect, I don't think we were being attacked. The eel was just looking for some more food! Scared the daylights out of us though! It was very aggressive and HUGE, longer than I am tall, probably 7-8 feet long.

 

[openmindOW]

The proffered logic: eels/grouper can be "taught" to enjoy the taste and will "develop" into lionfish predators.

Is there evidence that eels or groupers can be taught to enjoy the killing of lionfish? Maybe a Marine Biology Ph.D. candidate could write a thesis on this.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I don't think we should feed anything in the ocean.

It is a fact that fish use "cooperative hunting" techniques to get food. They follow large animals around hoping for scraps or that the large animal will scare something up they can catch and eat. Humans have been "feeding" things in the ocean with their activity around and in the ocean since way before our ancestors first had a sentient thought, so a goal of "no feeding" seems a bit counter to nature's ways.
I'll settle for "no dinner rolls"
Rick