Photos: 2015 Groundswell Lionfish Tournament
The 2015 Groundswell Lionfish Tournament is being held today [July 18], and saw the invasive lionfish captured, recorded, and served for attending crowds.
The 5th Annual Groundswell Lionfish Tournament is taking place at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science and saw the tournament kicking off at sunup and boats heading in to the BIOS dock for the 3.00pm weigh-in.
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The land event kicked off at 2.30pm and runs until 8.00pm tonight and entry is free. Activities include lionfish handling, lionfish tasting, live music, DJ’s, Goslings bar and for the young at heart a bouncy castle, arts & crafts, and more.
Originating in the Indo-Pacific Region, it is believed the lionfish were introduced into the Atlantic in the late 1980s by local aquariums or fish hobbyists in Florida. They have now spread throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, South America and as far north as Massachusetts and Bermuda.
Click to enlarge photos:
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Now this is absolutely fantastic! To be encouraging people,(and youngsters) to partake is a plus
I do believe this can / should possibly be put on once a month through the summer period, allowing us to come one step closer to depleting these invasive fish from our shores. Of course I know they are out in the deeper depths and probably will flourish out there but at least we can possibly control them that are nearer to the shore-line… Food for thought?
Fantastic? I stand to be corrected but those fish are increasing in size since the last pic’s of them…WE ARE DOOMED! unless someone finds a way to neuter them….well I scrolled down and saw a month long tournament which is encouraging…..I’m just saying…..
How the hell they got here?
Idiots who tire of them as pets and release them to wild, that was the case down in the gulf. Could have been the case here too, but they also could have drifted up the Gulf Stream.
The winners of the most lion fish caught, Triangle Diving will be running a month long tournament in August. We are hugely appreciative of Hannover Re for sponsoring today’s dive for us.
We will be running special dives at reduced rates to deeper locations (around the 100 foot mark) solely to catch Lion Fish throughout the month of August. Individual tallys will be kept and prizes will be going to most caught during the month and other special achievements.
Check out our website and give us a shout if you would like to take part
A month long tournament is absolutely fantastic!!!
Do Lion fish bite?
Lionfish dont have much, if anything, in the way of teeth, they gulp down their victims. The danger is in the venomous spines, which perhaps aswimmer could bump into, as the fish can be quite lethargic and not get out of the way, or by mishandling a caught fish. I dont know if perhaps you are asking if they can be caught with hook and line, if so, yes they can, andin fact some people have caught a dozen or more while out bottom fishing.
Thankhs to you all for the wonderful work that you do. Youe efforts will continue to be felt generations from now. Keep it up!
Great stuff guys! Those lionfish are a national threat. They taste good but are not good!
Nice pics.
Great report, could we get an update with the catch results… would love to know how many of the vermin we culled
117 fish were speared during the tournament.