Lionfish Smash Video

A while back I wrote about going to Bimini for the 2nd Annual Lionfish Smash - well, I finally came around to work on a little video...

Lionfish Smash

Chica, Wawy, Manuel, Bou, Felix - celebrating a successful smash

This last weekend I was in Bimini, Bahamas, with a group of friends to attend the South Florida Freedivers "Lionfish Smash" competition.  The event focused on the spearing of lionfish as they are become a real problem in the reefs of the Bahamas and the Caribbean. In these parts of the world, the species have no natural predators, hence they are starting to dominate the reefs by multiplying in an uncontrolled manner, and, therefore, threatening to disrupt the delicate ecological balance in vast areas. The fishing industry is concerned.

On the trip we saw lionfish up to 16 inches, and literally in every ledge that you would look under.  After a day of spearing, we caught over 35 lionfish; in total over 100 were speared.  And the fish did not go to waste, cook Ralph Pagano made some delicious ceviche and fillets from the white meat - it actually tasted very well.

All the proceeds of the competition went to the Boys and Girls Club of Miami, over $8,500 were raised.

Our team consisted of Manuel, Chica, Bou, Wawy, and me - Manuel won the "Lionfish Slayer", largest and smallest lionfish categories - he caught over 22 fish himself while the rest of us were slacking.

Was a lot of fun to be back in Bimini - the island has definitely changed (not for the better) - but it was good hanging out with friends.  A video will be coming out shortly...

Good News for Bimini and The Bahamas

Lemon Shark, Bahamas (2008)
Photograph: Wolfgang Leander

Congradulations to the Bahamas and those involved in creating a marine sanctuary in North Bimini - read the complete Washington Post article.

Writes Juliet Eilperin: "The Bahamas government has created a marine reserve off the island of North Bimini, preserving critical mangrove habitat and a shark nursery that had come under threat from a resort there.

The reserve, which will be protected from most fishing and other "extractive activities," is home to endangered species such as the Nassau grouper and the Bimini boa, as well as a vibrant nursery for lemon sharks.

The decision -- approved by the Bahamas cabinet Dec. 29 but announced last week -- is a setback for the Bimini Bay Resort and Marina, which has been clearing some of the island's mangroves to build a hotel, a golf course, a casino and two marinas, some of which have already been constructed.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had initially considered establishing the reserve in the late 1990s, but his party lost power in 2002, and the development proceeded. Ingraham's party won back control in 2007."

Bimini Sands becomes Bahamas' first 'Shark Free Marina'

Patric Douglas' Shark Free Marina concept really seems to be taking off, add another to the list - Bimini Sands Resort and Marina becomes the first marina in the Bahamas to be 'shark free'.

Recap of the 'shark free' marina initiative.

Would be great to one day see all the marinas in the Bahamas become 'shark free' (and anywhere else where sharks and sport fishermen cross paths)...for sharks as well as the Bahamas - plus as a Bahamian it would make me very proud!

Yes, I was born in Nassau, spent half of my childhood there, being so close to the ocean I learned how to swim before I could walk, my first word was "boat", and I spent many sundays at the Poop Deck, a popular restaurant overlooking the harbor, getting free cherries from the bartender... :-)

Hats off to Bimini Sands and Patric!!!