Invasive Lionfish Management
Although endemic to the Indo-Pacific, Lionfish are an extremely damaging invasive species in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. This course is designed to give students an introduction to how outbreaks of an invasive species can effect a marine ecosystem and the effects of such imbalances in the reef ecosystem. They will gain the knowledge and skills to monitor and assess lionfish populations and learn how to safely and effectively remove them.
Understand the concept of invasive species and their ecological impact.
Acquire skills to safely spear Lionfish without harming the reef or yourself and how to handle them to remove venomous spines.
Know the process for recording Lionfish data in the Conservation Diver database, contributing to conservation efforts.
Acquire skills to safely spear Lionfish without harming the reef or yourself and how to handle them to remove venomous spines.
Program Eligibility and Requirements
To join the Invasive Lionfish Management Program, participants need to meet the following criteria:
- Age Requirement: Applicants must be 12 years of age or older.
- Diver Certification: Applicants should hold certification as an Advanced diver from a recognized diving organization such as PADI, SSI, RAID, or similar. Alternatively, Open Water divers can be eligible if they have successfully completed a buoyancy appraisal under the guidance of a professional diver.
- Diving Proficiency: Applicants need to showcase advanced diving skills, including excellent buoyancy control and self-awareness.
Upon Enrollment in the Course, participants will be required to:
- Attend 1 practical session on the use of the spear and zoo keeper
- Attend 1 lecture on Invasive Lionfish management
- Perform 1 lionfish removal dive using the spear and zoo keeper
- Record data of lionfish sightings including location, depth, time and date, size, and the removal status
- Complete e-Learning
Note: Attempts must be made to find and remove Lionfish following protocols outlined in the practical session. If lionfish are not found, can’t be removed safely or without causing damage to the reef, or participants do not want to kill the fish, they can still receive the certification.
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