lionfish in Cozumel

[Scott L]

I think REEF is wrong to want only to "study" these things. The evidence is pretty clear to any reasonable mind that lion fish are deleterious to the fragile reef ecosystems they are now invading.

How much study is required to understand that??

I am sure much additional funding is being sought on this complex phenomenon which requires frequent travel to excotic locales...

 

[geokr]

They have been pubilically discouraging the public from eliminating LF and report only...

Show me that they're discouraging removal by the public. Anywhere.

 

[ONESPEED]

Please cite the policy that REEF discourages culling - I've never seen it.

Just what is wrong with this policy?

What's wrong? REEF's advice is moronic at best....

Posted at the request of REEF.ORG

For now, please, please, establish the location and let the professionals and their volunteers capture them.

You see no problem with this statement?

How to mark the location:

If diving on small/private boats:
Talk to the captain -- establish a signal. To mark a specific location on some boats, the diver pulls their flag line tight, then pulls the flag under 3 times. The boat takes a GPS mark and acknowledges it by revving the engine 3 times. The divers can then continue their dive without interruption (Thanks to R/V VON¼Ë).

Great idea, I'm sure the lionfish will patiently wait for the REEF "experts" to MAYBE show up and capture them.

You could also carry a marker buoy (like a Pelican Float) that you can deploy. You can come back after the dive, get marks, and recover the buoy.

The lionfish will again patiently wait at the predetermined GPS coordinates for REEF to swoop in for the humane capture.

If diving on larger/commercial boats:
Talk to the captain establish a signal. If conditions/currents allow, tie off the flag line and ascend or have a buddy go to the surface. Make contact with the boat and have them get a GPS mark. Re-descend and continue the dive.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds this laughable?

Then, contact REEF at Lionfish Research Program | Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) and file an Exotic Species Sighting Form?

Thanks for helping protect our reefs,

Yeah, and thanks for nothing REEF

DiveMasterRobert@Bellsouth.net

Or, and let me just throw this crazy thought out there, kill the damn thing on the spot and be done with it, it will free the "experts" at REEF up to possibly do something useful.

 

[ONESPEED]

Show me that they're discouraging removal by the public. Anywhere.

I just did, read my last post.

 

[geokr]

I am sure much additional funding is being sought on this complex phenomenon which requires frequent travel to excotic locales...

Correct on all points (finally). It takes money (which only the government can print), it's a complex phenomenon so it requires study and it requires travel to exotic locales because that's where it's happening.

 

[Lobstah Slayah]

The only good lionfish.

 

[ONESPEED]

 

[Lobstah Slayah]

Those Cozumel DMs are real superheroes!

 

[ONESPEED]

You wouldn't even know why to stick them if it wasn't for REEF telling you why, you'd just be saying "Look....a lionfish, damn what's that doing here....pretty tho...." Give them a break.

I dive the Bahamas frequently and can assure you REEF had nothing to do with me noticing there was a problem, it's fairly obvious.

 

[ONESPEED]

Credit was given to the Park Officals as being visionaries. Please! Nostradamus they are not. Just a group of folks[-] with common sense[/-]...

Fixed that for you.