How To Hunt Lionfish [Videos]

Scuba divers play a key role in controlling the invasive lionfish.  As of now the most effective method of controlling lionfish populations involves spearfishing.

In the following video Jessica Meredith, of the Bermuda Lionfish Taskforce, explains the basic do’s and don’ts of lionfish hunting.

It is becoming apparent that some progress is being  made towards controlling the lionfish populations in the Atlantic and Caribbean. A combination of educating the public about the lionifish infestation and how tasty they are. As well as the efforts of spearfishing by divers and the corporate sponsorship of lionfish derbies is roving to be very effective in controlling local infestations.

Watch the following video put together by the Bermuda Lionfish Taskforce for an explanation how to hunt lionfish.

Images Source: YouTube Clips

Closer to home.. in the Florida Keys. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has designated the first Saturday after Mothers Day as Lionfish Removal Day.

Lionfish generally sit motionless with undulating pectoral fins. Highly recognizable by their red and white stripes, they are surprisingly slow, almost daring divers to spear or net them. Deep wrecks have been reported as being blanketed with the red-and-white feathery fish, with impressive lengths of 18 inches or longer.

Hunting lionfish typically means covering small wrecks and poking under ledges and rock outcroppings, favorite hiding places of the invasive Indo-Pacific species, in shallow (but more commonly, deeper) waters.

H/T YouTubeClips

Watch the following video produced by FloridaKeysTV explaining lionfish hunting in the Florida Keys and explains the proper use of the ZooKeeper Lionfish Containment Unit.

Images Source: YouTube Clips

The ZooKeeper  lionfish containment unit makes for safer lionfish hunting as demonstrated in the video clip above.

Related Posts:

• Lionfish Can Be Problematic for Divers
• Culling Lionfish With a Glock
• Unintended Consequences of Lionfish Hunting