ON ANY GIVEN weekend this summer time, there was a lionfish derby underway someplace in Florida. Because the inhabitants of this invasive species has exploded in recent times, so too has curiosity in concentrating on the harmful critters. Tournaments start in late winter and stretch into the autumn, with money and different prizes incentivizing already motivated spearfishermen to take away as many lionfish as they’ll from susceptible coral reefs within the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. (The species is infamous for its voracious urge for food: A single lionfish residing on a reef can scale back native reef fish recruitment by as a lot as 79 p.c.)
The world’s largest lionfish derby is the Emerald Coast Open, held in Destin, Florida, in mid-Could. This 12 months our photographer tagged together with one of many collaborating groups, captained by spearfisherman Tim Robinson. At 62, Robinson is a scuba teacher and the proprietor of ZooKeeper, which makes a type of underwater creel for safely storing lionfish throughout dives and sponsors lionfish derbies throughout the state.
“This isn’t an issue we’re going to eradicate. Lionfish multiply worse than rabbits,” says Robinson. “A feminine lionfish lays between 15,000 to 30,000 eggs each 4 to seven days, year-round. To place that into perspective, [participants] eliminated roughly 25,000 lionfish throughout this two-day derby, and a bit of greater than 5,000 within the pre-derby that began in February. And that’s principally the variety of eggs that one feminine lionfish lays as soon as per week.”
“This isn’t an issue that we’re going to eradicate. Lionfish multiply worse than rabbits.”
—Tim Robinson
Not all of the eggs in a clutch survive, in fact, however Robinson’s math downside illustrates the sheer scale of the lionfish invasion. Whereas he enjoys the bigger mission of lionfish administration, Robinson spends his weekend spearfishing for an additional motive.
“The reality is that we like it. We love spearing lionfish,” says Robinson. “It’s the fun of the hunt. They’re not simply out swimming round freely. Generally, it’s a must to hunt for them. It’s enjoyable to provide you with a dozen lionfish or a full ZooKeeper. I’ve had days once I couldn’t get any extra lionfish in my ZooKeeper. It’s only a nice feeling. So sure, we wish to be a part of the trigger [to reduce lionfish] and do our half. However we actually, really like it. It’s simply in our blood.”
The creator’s son, Rob Robinson, makes a typical again roll off the boat into the water. In the course of the derby Robinson’s group dove in pairs, utilizing the buddy system for security and conserving two divers within the boat for necessary floor time. This enables divers to “off gasoline,” or exhale extra nitrogen. Rayna O’NanCody spots a lionfish earlier than his ZooKeeper even hits the ocean ground. The group didn’t discover many lionfish at this wreck, and later they chatted with a group who had fished it earlier than they arrived. Rayna O’NanA lionfish conceals itself behind a rock as Tyler Bourgoine hunts close by. Though the fish are native to the Indian Ocean, they mix in simply with Florida’s pure and synthetic reefs. A single lionfish sports activities 18 venomous spines: 13 alongside its spine, three close to the anal fin, and one on both sides. Robinson says getting poked by any considered one of them is “about 10 instances worse than a bee sting.” Divers who’ve been stung ought to return to the floor and attempt to break down the venom by making use of a warmth pack; Robinson retains these useful in his dive equipment. Rayna O’Nan“We’re making an attempt to guard the reef from the lionfish,” says Robinson, who by no means desires his spear to cross by way of a fish and strike a reef. Cautious shot placement is essential. “You principally swim proper as much as a lionfish. You’ll be able to truly contact them along with your spear and maneuver them round a bit of bit. As a result of they don’t have a predator [here], they’re not afraid of you. As a common rule, they’ll allow you to come proper as much as them and put the spear inside a pair inches earlier than you shoot them.” Rayna O’NanTyler (left) and Cody shut in on a trio of lionfish. Though most lionfish are unfazed by divers swimming as much as them, lionfish which have been shot at earlier than are skittish. The invasive critters cover beneath ledges or in holes within the reef, making a brilliant dive mild important for profitable looking. “They’ll mix in with no matter they’re round,” says Robinson, who provides spearfishing schooling lessons for divers. “I at all times say to suppose like a lionfish. Like if I have been a lionfish, the place would I be? Usually that’s underneath a ledge. They really invert themselves and go stomach up beneath one. Half the fish I shoot are the other way up.” Rayna O’NanCody (proper) fist-bumps his dad, who simply speared an enormous lionfish. The Robinsons are looking with selfmade sling spears (also referred to as Hawaiian spears), that are about 3 ft lengthy and tipped with three to 4 prongs. They’re typically barbed to forestall dropping fish. Some divers put as much as seven prongs on their spears, although the Robinsons contemplate this overkill. Rayna O’NanRob stuffs a lionfish into his ZooKeeper. All lionfish divers use some type of containment gadget for a number of causes. Spearing a lionfish doesn’t often kill it, so divers should entice them someway. It additionally protects towards venomous stings and gives a useful carrying case for toting fish again for weigh-in and, finally, consuming. Rayna O’NanCody (prime) and his father verify an outdated tank. Lionfish are nocturnal and primarily hunt at night time, however they’re additionally opportunistic predators. “They eat to eat, not essentially as a result of they’re hungry,” says Tim Robinson. “They eat as a result of there’s one thing in entrance of them. They’re not selective. So long as it is going to match of their mouth, they’ll eat it. We regularly catch them with their bellies so bloated, as a result of the bellies will broaden as much as 30 instances to accommodate what they’re consuming.” Rayna O’NanRetaining tabs on his dive laptop, Cody swims to the floor after a dive. Rayna O’NanSurfacing with recent lionfish hauls. The Robinsons employed a constitution captain who was keen to take them scouting forward of the derby, plus drive them round for 2 dawn-til-dusk days on the water throughout the competitors. Rayna O’NanHanding off a ZooKeeper filled with lionfish. Rayna O’NanRob empties a load of lionfish into the boat cooler. The group saved the fish on ice all day earlier than returning to the weigh-in. Rayna O’NanRob holds up two of the group’s greater lionfish from the primary day of the derby. Rayna O’NanThe ZooKeeper group poses for a fast group picture. From proper, entrance: Tim Robinson, Tyler Bourgoine, Rob Robinson, and Cody Robinson. Their dive grasp and constitution captain stand behind them. Rayna O’NanBuckets of lionfish again on the dock. A complete of 24,699 lionfish have been eliminated by 144 contributors on the Emerald Coast Open in Destin. The fish have been cleaned and brought dwelling, given away, or served by Destin eating places. Rayna O’NanEvery lionfish submitted for the derby was rigorously measured, with prizes awarded for many lionfish eliminated, in addition to the most important and smallest fish taken. The biggest measured almost 18 inches lengthy. Rayna O’NanDeep Water Mafia I gained the highest prize of $10,000 for spearing essentially the most lionfish: 2,898 fish in two days. After Robinson and his group completed in twelfth place within the 2022 event with 305 fish, his sons have been decided to win this 12 months’s event—not for the prize cash, which Robinson, as a sponsor, declines, however for the problem. The ZooKeeper group buckled down and speared 509 fish this 12 months … and nonetheless got here in twelfth. Robinson chalks that up to not a rise in competitors amongst contributors however to the exploding lionfish inhabitants. Rayna O’Nan
