lionfish in Cozumel

[jayjoans]

Leaving Coz today after 4 days of diving.

-6 on the lionfish population. Watched my DM dispatch numbers 100-105 of his ongoing tally. He uses a Hawaiian sling that breaks down into 3 short sections, he can assemble it in 15 seconds and fire it from a meter or more out. One was pregnant, so that made us extra happy.

 

[firstdive2005]

How did you get the park authorities to make an exception for you Kevin? Are you allowed to wear gloves while you are hunting Lion Fish in the park?? I am sure that there are lots of divers that would like to join in on the hunt, more information would be very helpful!

Hi Judy, the official would not give written permission as it is still not legal to hunt in the park. The rules have not been rewritten. They are trying to figure out what to do and how to do it properly. There are lots of things in the background that most people do not know is being done to figure out the positioning of this problem of how to do it safely. They are NOT promoting divers to do it.
Also GLOVES are not allowed in the park. And your statement is just what is the scary part, it is very dangerous.
He just simply asked that if I am going to do it then be careful but there is no blessing from them to do it. In fact he did say we prefer I dont but the conversation was like double talk in that he finally said we would not prosecute you so just be careful. He told me that the dive ops have been asked to do certain things so the monitoring of them can be recorded. Not everyone is doing this either. They also wanted the carcass brought to the university(at that time) for disection and investigation of what they are eating. They wanted to know depth and area where found.
So for real Judy if this official was in a crowd he would deny what he told me because the official word is no outsiders to hunt just dms. But they want them controlled somehow.
By the way, just phone the office or go talk to them like I did.

 

[ONESPEED]

The problem with the fork theory is it will be pretty ineffective unless you stab it through the fish and into something, in open water you'll just be poking, and pissing off the lionfish. I'm reasonably certain the Coz Clan will frown on someone hacking at the reef w/ a fork. I'd recommend highly against forking lionfish.

 

[firstdive2005]

The problem with the fork theory is it will be pretty ineffective unless you stab it through the fish and into something, in open water you'll just be poking, and pissing off the lionfish. I'm reasonably certain the Coz Clan will frown on someone hacking at the reef w/ a fork. I'd recommend highly against forking lionfish.

I agree, a buddy of mine sharpened the ends of a wiener stick, it worked but you really had to be accurate. The best so far are trident slings or hooks.
Man when it first started we where catching them in plastic bags and dive mask boxes. Still do I guess for the aquarium.

 

[geokr]

There are lots of things in the background that most people do not know is being done to figure out the positioning of this problem of how to do it safely.

There you go....coloring outside the lines again ain'tcha firstdive. I like it!

 

[judydivescoz]

Hi Judy, the official would not give written permission as it is still not legal to hunt in the park. The rules have not been rewritten. They are trying to figure out what to do and how to do it properly. There are lots of things in the background that most people do not know is being done to figure out the positioning of this problem of how to do it safely. They are NOT promoting divers to do it.
Also GLOVES are not allowed in the park. And your statement is just what is the scary part, it is very dangerous.
He just simply asked that if I am going to do it then be careful but there is no blessing from them to do it. In fact he did say we prefer I don't but the conversation was like double talk in that he finally said we would not prosecute you so just be careful. He told me that the dive ops have been asked to do certain things so the monitoring of them can be recorded. Not everyone is doing this either. They also wanted the carcass brought to the university(at that time) for disection and investigation of what they are eating. They wanted to know depth and area where found.
So for real Judy if this official was in a crowd he would deny what he told me because the official word is no outsiders to hunt just dms. But they want them controlled somehow.
By the way, just phone the office or go talk to them like I did.

Well Kev, I ask because I do think it is dangerous and a bit "scary". The big danger is that divers, experienced and not so, will read your adventures and think its OK to hunt for lionfish in the marine park. You (or one of the folks that might have dove with you)have even published photos of your catch. How "macho" for some (not meaning you in that description) to hunt in forbidden waters. Makes it all irresistible to some. The impression you leave is that the park officials think it OK "unofficially". Can't help but think, someone may get in some sort of trouble or worse yet hurt.
Honestly, I don't care if you hunt lionfish. Should anything happen, you will have to deal with the consequences. I do think that it is totally irresponsible of you to write and gloat about your exploits. Encouraging anyone to break the law in a foreign country even if officials have give you the no but with yes double talk is just on big bad idea IMHO.
PS. I know you can't wear gloves in the marine park!

 

[redacted]

Well Kev, I ask because I do think it is dangerous and a bit "scary". The big danger is that divers, experienced and not so, will read your adventures and think its OK to hunt for lionfish. You (or one of the folks that might have dove with you)have even published photos of your catch. How "macho" for some (not meaning you in that description) to hunt in forbidden waters. Makes it all irresistible to some. The impression you leave is that the park officials think it OK "unofficially". Can't help but think, someone may get in some sort of trouble or worse yet hurt.
Honestly, I don't care if you hunt lionfish. Should anything happen, you will have to deal with the consequences. I do think that it is totally irresponsible of you to write and gloat about your exploits. Encouraging anyone to break the law in a foreign country even if officials have give you the no but with yes double talk is just on big bad idea IMHO.
PS. I know you can't wear gloves in the marine park!

Those are not "forbidden waters". SCC is to the north of and outside the marine park. I believe the northern boundary of the park is Paradise Reef.

 

[judydivescoz]

Those are not "forbidden waters". SCC is to the north of and outside the marine park. I believe the northern boundary of the park is Paradise Reef.

I was writhing about my feelings of hunting in the park. North of the park, hunting, knifes and gloves are all fine.

 

[vladimir]

I'd recommend highly against forking lionfish.

Or, as the Cockney put it, "Ah hate the forking lionfish!"

 

[mike_s]

I was writhing about my feelings of hunting in the park. North of the park, hunting, knifes and gloves are all fine.

nothing wrong with allowing hunting in wildlife preserves. I live on a 40,000 acre wildlife preserve. It allows hunting, but only specific species. (not waterfowl for example).


If they don't allow hunting of Lionfish in Cozumel underwater parks, then it's pretty simple. the Lionfish will eventually multiply to numbers so great that they outnumber the reef fish, which they will become predators of.

and you will have no fish left in your park........