Ft. Pickens Lionfish Survey Dive
Details & Itinerary
Lionfish have consistently been reported within the boundaries of the Fort Pickens Area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Working with Florida Sea Grant on a research permit issued by the National Park Service, we will be conducting monitoring and removal dives of the invasive lionfish. We will be conducting monitoring/removal dives in 2023-2024. We will have positions for divers and non-divers! Come out and have some fun while monitoring and removing lionfish in our national park!
Schedule
Start time for the removal events will be dependent on the daily tide. Each month will be slightly different.
What Should I Bring?
Each diver needs to provide their own personal dive gear, including a compass, Surface Marker Buoy/Safety Sausage (You can rent from the dive shop if you do not own your gear), transportation to and around Fort Pickens, and a great attitude. We provide all lionfish specific hunting gear and monitoring supplies, including a zookeeper and polespear. You might want to get some gloves with nitrite palms. This gives you a better grip on the polespear underwater.
Can I bring lionfish home?
Because this is a removal event related to a research permit, all fish must remain with the permit holders.
Diver Qualifications
Volunteer divers need to be at least Open Water diver certified, have a minimum of 25 logged dives, with at least 1 dive in the last year, and one being in the ocean. Removal divers must have some experience hunting lionfish. You dont have to be an expert, but you need to be proficient with your bouyancy and skill with a polespear and zookeeper.
2023 Lionfish Survey Dates
September 16, 2023 – 6:00 am