theduckguru
Contributor
I doubt lion fish hunting makes a measureable impact on their population
Lionfish Hunter PADI certification
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Johnoly
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It has actually been studied by FWC/FWRI with many LF hunting tournaments showing no return LF growth for months after the tourney. But just like weeds, if you stop 'treatment', they will return.
On the subject of the card, I like it because it's brings awareness & interest to Newer divers who don't know about the invasion. The best way I get diver's interest when I'm on a charter boat is to NOT ONLY show them how easy it is to spear them, but since I catch so many, I usually send the people home with LF filets to cook. When I followup with the dive shop later, they say the people have already re-scheduled a return dive specifically to hunt. And then I've got another diver(s) recruited and posting pictures promoting LF hunting.
In my experience in Belize, it wasn't just in the vicinity, it was following us, buzzing us continuously for most of the dive. Not a big deal as these were not an aggressive breed of shark. I wouldnt want bull or tiger sharks getting that close.
Your way of bringing awareness and interest to new divers on Lionfish hunting is best method, and I have seen this done on several dive boats. Divers sure don't need a PADI course and certification for that. When I first heard that PADI had a Lionfish Cert card, I thought it must be a joke. I guess it is not!
Belzelbub
Contributor
True, but that should be what you learn on that first chartered LF hunting trip. I seem to recall a section in my daughters' OW classes about hazardous marine life. It was general, but at least started to bring some awareness that there are things down there that you shouldn't touch.
For those reading, heat helps. Often divers on private boats will run an outboard, and use the heated water from the telltale (Pee stream) from the outboard cooling system.
They are associating them with food, but aren't necessarily associating them as something they should hunt. May just be associating that those weird looking animals with all the bubbles often have treats.
That's a good point on the card bringing awareness. I hadn't considered that, though I'd imagine that some divers may stumble upon it, but probably won't pursue the card unless it's something that they are already aware of and interested in.
Your approach is probably much more effective. Especially if you give out some filets. I can't think of a better way to get a diver interested in taking lionfish by showing them how easy it is and how tasty they are. Definitely one of the better tasting fish I've tried.
I know of several places that want lionfish hunting to occur because of the problems they create, but they don't want people with no clue going out and doing it. They therefore require training. You may think of this as a silly specialty, but it serves a purpose, and in some places it is required.
I imagine swimming around with ANY fish on the end of spear with sharks present is like parading around a methadone clinic with a lollipop.
Belzelbub
Contributor
True. Without a doubt spearfishing does tend to get any nearby sharks interested. And generally, there are two schools of thought on what to do when the tax man does show up.
Some think it's best to give up the catch to the shark in the hopes that it leaves them alone. I'm not in this group. I feel it can help to condition sharks that divers might equal a free meal.
Others think it's best to not feed the shark the catch if it can be avoided. I'm in this group. I've seen videos where divers dropped their catch due to sharks and the shark had no interest in the fish, it seemed more interested in the divers.
To level the field, I also dive with a Sharkshield when I'm spearing. That will at least help to deter the curious shark, though not much will stop a shark that is in full feeding mode.
So far, all of the data indicates that this is an effective strategy.
A new study outlines the do’s and don’ts of managing invasive lionfish - News
Scientists are applying lessons learned in the Atlantic to manage expansion of lionfish in the Mediterranean.
blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
Lionfish Research - this article is about an on-going project in FGBNMS to study this very issue. I have been participating in it since 2015. Interestingly, we were not out for almost two years and the population had not grown that much in number, but the fish being removed were larger.
Effectiveness of removals of the invasive lionfish: how many dives are needed to deplete a reef?
Introduced Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) have spread throughout the greater Caribbean and are associated with a number of negative impacts on reef ecosystems. Human interventions, in the form of culling activities, are becoming common ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Given that in Greece the sea has been overfished (and illegal fishing plagues the country), additional stresses on the remaining fish population is not good.So far, all of the data indicates that this is an effective strategy.
A new study outlines the do’s and don’ts of managing invasive lionfish - News
Scientists are applying lessons learned in the Atlantic to manage expansion of lionfish in the Mediterranean.
Lionfish Research - this article is about an on-going project in FGBNMS to study this very issue. I have been participating in it since 2015. Interestingly, we were not out for almost two years and the population had not grown that much in number, but the fish being removed were larger.
Effectiveness of removals of the invasive lionfish: how many dives are needed to deplete a reef?
Introduced Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) have spread throughout the greater Caribbean and are associated with a number of negative impacts on reef ecosystems. Human interventions, in the form of culling activities, are becoming common ...
Spearfishing on scuba is illegal but I hope that an exception will be made for lionfish.
In the past year, I've been seeing many more pictures of lionfish in Greece on social media which I take as an indicator that this is a problem about to explode.
I didn't perceive there to be that many fish in Belize and I blame the lionfish.
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