Lionfish Hunting Specialty PADI

What your day looks like

The lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) is a beautiful fish that originates from the Indo pacific. In the Caribbean sea however it is deemed an invasive species and it causes incredible harm to the reefs and it’s residents. Females can can lay up to two million eggs per year and without any natural predators there is no stopping them from spreading. Luckily there are divers like us who do their best to at least minimize the damage by hunting them. As a result, the lionfish population on Curaçao has significantly decreased. A big plus: they are absolutely delicious. Lionfish have venomous spines, making the hunt slightly more risky than most other forms of recreational diving. Although usually not fatal to humans, the venom can cause severe pain, headaches, vomiting and difficulties breathing. A good preparation is necessary to stay safe. On a successfull lionfish hunt it is possible to surface with more than 10 kg/22 lbs of fresh fish. However on Curaçao, where there are a lot of divers and thus many hunters, it proves to be a lot more difficult to find them.