Why I Chose to Try Lionfish Hunting

Unlike the hate emails I received after posting the above image on the Scuba Diving and Sport Diver Instagram pages, I do not consider myself a heartless killer. I do, however, consider myself someone who is passionate about marine conservation and trying to do my part when I can. Sometimes that means carrying around a metal reusable straw or picking up trash on the beach, and other times it means descending to 110 feet in the Gulf of Mexico and spearing every single lionfish present on the reef.

The latter is what I did for the first time in May 2019—12 miles off Destin, Florida. On three consecutive dives, our team of four divers removed every lionfish we could see on two reef sites and one wreck. Approximately 32 lionfish in a matter of a couple of hours.

Now, I have long been familiar with the problem: Lionfish are an invasive species in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Caribbean waters. I’ve seen lionfish firsthand on more dives than I can count, from the Cayman Islands to the Florida Panhandle. What I didn’t know is just how bad the problem has become in the Gulf of Mexico. Not only have studies shown that lionfish are responsible for reducing native fish populations on certain reefs by more than 90 percent, but the average female lionfish can spawn around 27,000 eggs every 2.5 days. “Did you just say 27,000?” Yes, if you can digest that factoid, it’s easier to understand how lionfish, which are capable of eating fish up to two-thirds their size, continue to mass reproduce and decimate native fish populations.

When the opportunity to experience my first lionfish derby presented itself, I was ready to take on the challenge, even though I had never speared a fish before and really had no plans to do so. At this point in life I had seen plenty of lionfish hunters and knew the gear used was not quite as intimidating as the average spearfishing gear. Knowing that put me slightly at ease.

Then, when I found out I was diving with Alex Fogg, a former lionfish tournament champion and current marine resource coordinator for the Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau in Okaloosa County, I knew I was in good hands. Fogg is a marine biologist and lionfish expert who’s been published in several scientific journals and has worked for the International Union for Conservation of Nature, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Basically, this guy knows what he’s doing.

Lionfish removal, or “hunting,” can be done freediving or scuba diving. In our case, scuba was necessary since we planned to dive at deeper depths. We met the Blue Water Escape crew, and as we headed 12 miles offshore from Destin Harbor, I could see the excitement in Fogg’s face as he told me “lionfish are always in season, there’s no bag limit and you can catch as many as you want.”

Besides your regular gear setup, you will need a pole spear, a lionfish containment device, a cooler with ice, gloves and lastly but most important, someone who knows what they are doing. That’s where Fogg and the crew of Blue Water Escape came in. Upon arrival to the dive site, they gave me a site briefing and then focused on how to hold the spear to avoid being accidentally stung by a lionfish. They explained that after you spear the lionfish you must immediately put it into the containment device (we used a Zookeeper, and Fogg was kind enough to carry mine around for me). Like all diving, it definitely makes things easier to have a knowledgeable buddy, and in this case a personal lionfish spotter and cheerleader. The part I wasn’t prepared for was how slow these fish move! I almost felt bad for how easy it was to locate and spear my first lionfish, and Fogg seemed equally impressed when I lined up and hit the target on the first try. We fist-bumped, and then Fogg continued to help me spot the lionfish on the reef. In a matter of 12 minutes we had wiped out every lionfish on that reef. It was thrilling and absolutely unexpected, but I kind of liked this new activity. The next two dives followed a similar pattern: Descend, locate and kill all the lionfish, fist-bump and ascend back to the surface with a Zookeeper full of dinner.

And yes, it is important to mention that although lionfish have venomous spines that can cause pain and swelling if you make contact, the fish meat is safe to eat—and quite delicious, if you ask me. Now, some people still might not be convinced that it’s OK to take a life, even if it’s an invasive lionfish. However, I see this as a concerned diver’s duty. If we want to enjoy native fish populations in the Gulf of Mexico, the removal of non-native and invasive lionfish is crucial to the overall health of these waters. The best part of this experience was knowing that these fish were not going to waste and that they are actually edible. During the Emerald Coast Open, lionfish were present on many local restaurant menus, and it was actually encouraged to bring your catch to the restaurant to be prepared for dinner.

At the end of the day, I still don’t consider myself a heartless killer, but yes, I killed lionfish, all in the name of marine conservation.

Tips for First-time Lionfish Hunters

• Charter an experienced crew or book through a program like FWC Reef Rangers
• Always wear gloves.
• Have fun, but don’t forget to check your gauges. It’s easy to get caught up in the activity and not realize how much air you have consumed.
• Make sure you have good neutral buoyancy so you don’t destroy the reef.
• You do not need a license to hunt lionfish in Florida and there is no size or bag limit.

Get Involved

There are a number of organizations focused on lionfish awareness efforts and removal. The best way to get involved with lionfish removal is to participate in removal events or get involved with a lionfish organization, especially if you have no prior experience with lionfish removal. Here are a few organizations where you can get involved:

• FWC Reef Rangers
• REEF Lionfish Derby Series
• Coast Watch Alliance
• Texas Lionfish Control Unit
• Lionfish University

The 2020 Emerald Coast Open is scheduled to take place May 14-17, 2020, and as always, the event is held in conjunction with FWC’s Lionfish removal and Awareness day.

Check out the video below to see underwater footage of Hurley spearing lionfish and for more opportunities to get involved with lionfish removal on the Emerald Coast. Video provided by Joe Kistel.