In our third week of diving, today we encountered our first lionfish of the season. The lionfish is an invasive species (from the Indo-Pacific region) that has rapidly spread through the Caribbean. Last year we saw lionfish much more often. The decrease in population is likely attributed to a corps of dedicated lionfish hunters that remove them from the reefs. This definitely doesn't eliminate their presence, as they are capable of breeding and living in water deeper than safe diving limits. However, it gives other species a chance to live on the reef with a significant reduction in predation from lionfish.
We went from zero lionfish to two in 2 seconds, as we encountered a pair of sizable lionfish (10 to 12 inches long). However, this morning, we reported the location of our sighting (at 50 feet), and were told that a trained lionfish-hunting diver would probably go out and dispatch them at noon. As this species doesn't belong on the reef, it is the only species that divers are allowed to hunt. And they taste good. Dining on them is the ultimate revenge of the local diving population.
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| Two lionfish: center, and lower left |
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| They are quite elaborate |
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| A view from above, with the fins flared out |
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| A look at the face of a lionfish |
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