drrich2
Contributor
Hi:
Reading through threads over time of people using varied devices to nail lionfish, it seems hunter danger is high right after the spearing; either trying to stab it in the head if you want a mercifully hastened kill, or 'pruning' off at least some of the venomous spines, or trying to get it in your bag (I assume) if you're taking them with you.
But a lot of people let native sea life have them. Now, I'm not trying to incite a debate on whether direct wildlife feeding is going to inspire big green morays to accost other others, or a barracuda to 'accidentally' take somebody's hand off. You can get the lionfish off your <insert device - ELF, etc...> & let the body drop.
So I keep wondering why people endanger themselves by pruning off the fins. I assume the rationale is to keep scavengers such as grouper, sharks, barracuda & morays from getting stung, but I haven't noticed any posts so far where someone has seen a predator act stung in response to eating an 'unpruned' lionfish.
If trimming them were extremely safe or stings minor it'd be different, but that's not the case.
So, if divers want to spear lionfish & leave them falling to the bottom thrashing around, without trying to stab them in the head or trim their fins, is that a big deal?
Richard.
P.S.: I know a plea for merciful quick kills may come up, and I respect the rationale. That said, many fish kill each other by swallowing, where presumably suffocating perhaps while being burned by stomach acid is a common means of death for many sea creatures. Life in the sea is often hard.
Reading through threads over time of people using varied devices to nail lionfish, it seems hunter danger is high right after the spearing; either trying to stab it in the head if you want a mercifully hastened kill, or 'pruning' off at least some of the venomous spines, or trying to get it in your bag (I assume) if you're taking them with you.
But a lot of people let native sea life have them. Now, I'm not trying to incite a debate on whether direct wildlife feeding is going to inspire big green morays to accost other others, or a barracuda to 'accidentally' take somebody's hand off. You can get the lionfish off your <insert device - ELF, etc...> & let the body drop.
So I keep wondering why people endanger themselves by pruning off the fins. I assume the rationale is to keep scavengers such as grouper, sharks, barracuda & morays from getting stung, but I haven't noticed any posts so far where someone has seen a predator act stung in response to eating an 'unpruned' lionfish.
If trimming them were extremely safe or stings minor it'd be different, but that's not the case.
So, if divers want to spear lionfish & leave them falling to the bottom thrashing around, without trying to stab them in the head or trim their fins, is that a big deal?
Richard.
P.S.: I know a plea for merciful quick kills may come up, and I respect the rationale. That said, many fish kill each other by swallowing, where presumably suffocating perhaps while being burned by stomach acid is a common means of death for many sea creatures. Life in the sea is often hard.