South Bimini, Bahamas – Bimini Sands Resort & Marina on South Bimini in the Bahamas hosted The Woody Foundation’s Lionfish Bash for the fourth year in a row on August 15-17, 2014. The popular family …
Killing for Conservation!
23 Jul 201412:04 AM
Killing for Conservation?
Lionfish are incredibly fertile and have no natural predators in the Atlantic Ocean. Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) has been leading the fight against this Indo-Pacific invader and after six years of Lionfish Derbies at Green Turtle Cay the evidence is clear: Lionfish Derbies Work! Lionfish now range from Brazil to North Carolina and beyond. They can live in fresh water too! The 908 Lionfish killed in this one day event was fewer than in previous years even with more divers and better weather. AND those fish that were killed this year were smaller than in previous years; another good sign. Lionfish Derbies will not send the fish back to the Pacific; they can however help local communities keep the population in check.
The Green Turtle Club, a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Lodge hosted the event. For six years, REEF scientists have conducted a Lionfish Census before and after each event to assess the impacts of the Derbies. REEF estimates that had these 908 demons been allowed to roam Abaco waters for another year they would have consumed between 700,000 and 2.2 MILLION! Native prey fish.
Congratulations and Thanks to REEF & to The Green Turtle Club for executing a great event for an important conservation mission!
For more information on Reef Environmental Education Foundation and other Lionfish Derbies.
For More information on The Green Turtle Club
For More information on Guy Harvey Outpost
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![](mailto:?subject=Killing for Conservation!&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/green-turtle-lionfish-haul-2014.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2068" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/green-turtle-lionfish-haul-2014.jpg?w=225" alt="Lionfish Derbies Work, 908 Dead Lionfish Cannot All Be Wrong!" width="225" height="300" /></a> Killing for Conservation?Lionfish are incredibly fertile and have no natural predators in the Atlantic Ocean. <a href="http://www.reef.org/">Reef Environmental Education Foundation</a> (REEF) has been leading the fight against this Indo-Pacific invader and after six years of Lionfish Derbies at Green Turtle Cay the evidence is clear: Lionfish Derbies Work! Lionfish now range from Brazil to North Carolina and beyond. They can live in fresh water too! The 908 Lionfish killed in this one day event was fewer than in previous years even with more divers and better weather. AND those fish that were killed this year were smaller than in previous years; another good sign. Lionfish Derbies will not send the fish back to the Pacific; they can however help local communities keep the population in check.<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/credit-ellie-splain.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2071" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/credit-ellie-splain.jpg?w=300" alt="Three Contestants for the Smallest Lionfish Caught. Photo Credit: Ellie Splain" width="300" height="200" /></a>Three Contestants for the Smallest Lionfish Caught. Photo Credit: Ellie Splain Click Image to Enlarge<a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/green-turtle-cay-abacos/overview.html">The Green Turtle Club</a>, a <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/index.php">Guy Harvey Outpost</a> Expedition Lodge hosted the event. For six years, REEF scientists have conducted a Lionfish Census before and after each event to assess the impacts of the Derbies. REEF estimates that had these 908 demons been allowed to roam Abaco waters for another year they would have consumed between 700,000 and 2.2 MILLION! Native prey fish.Congratulations and Thanks to REEF & to The Green Turtle Club for executing a great event for an important conservation mission!For more information on <a href="http://www.reef.org/">Reef Environmental Education Foundation</a> and other <a href="http://www.REEF.org/lionfish">Lionfish Derbies</a>.For More information on <a title="The Green Turtle Club" href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/green-turtle-cay-abacos/overview.html">The Green Turtle Club</a>For More information on <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/index.php">Guy Harvey Outpost</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/killing-for-conservation/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Bimini Sands’ Annual Woody Foundation Lionfish Bash Removes 276 Invasive Lionfish&body=South Bimini, Bahamas – <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/bimini-bahamas/bimini-sands-bimini.html">Bimini Sands Resort & Marina </a>on South Bimini in the Bahamas hosted <a href="http://www.woodyfoundation.org/event/4th-annual-lionfish-bash/">The Woody Foundation’s </a>Lionfish Bash for the fourth year in a row on August 15-17, 2014. The popular family spearfishing event led to the removal of 276 lionfish – a non-native, invasive species that is threatening native fish stocks in the Bahamas and Florida – from the waters around Bimini.
<img src="http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/uploads/15/biggestlionfishRickRodriguez_lores.jpg" alt="biggestlionfishRickRodriguez_lores.jpg" width="400" height="543" border="1" />Rick Rodriguez, Winner of the Largest Lionfish Trophy, 36.5 oz.
The Lionfish Bash is an annual event created to raise awareness about lionfish as well as to benefit The Woody Foundation, a Miami-based non-profit organization that raises funds to aid in the recovery of persons with spinal injuries. Foundation Board Member James “Woody” Beckham, whose severe spinal injury during a college rugby game in 2011 launched The Woody Foundation, attended the Lionfish Bash in person as he has done every year, inspiring all the participants.
The results of the 4th Annual Lionfish Bash:
Largest Lionfish: Rick Rodriguez, shown above, (36.5 oz.)
Smallest Lionfish: Cody Gunthner (0.061 oz.)
Top Junior Angler: Trace Colson (18.5 oz.)
Most Lionfish Caught, 1st Place: Team Spears & Beers (80)
Most Lionfish Caught, 2nd Place: Team Extra Expense (70).
The fun weekend event included a Captain’s Meeting at the Square Grouper tiki bar, a full day of spearfishing in the spectacular waters around Bimini, and an Awards Banquet at the resort’s waterfront Bimini Twist Restaurant. Most Lionfish Bash participants brought their own boats to the event, but <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/bimini-bahamas/bimini-sands-dive.html">Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center’s </a>40-foot dive boat, the Dive God, took out a group who did not have their own vessels.
“The Lionfish Bash is one of the most fun and rewarding events we host each year,” said Bimini Sands President and CEO Frank Cooney. “We enjoy seeing Woody Beckham, his family and fellow board members from The Woody Foundation, and watching the fun as the Lionfish Bash participants helped to rid our beautiful coral reefs of these invasive fish.”
“Thanks again to the Cooney Family for hosting The Lionfish Bash,” said Woody Beckham. “Everyone thoroughly enjoys this unique adventure to Bimini. I can’t wait ’til next year’s event!” --- Louisa Beckett, Bahamas Weekly, Aug 26, 2014 https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bimini-sands-annual-woody-foundation-lionfish-bash-removes-276-invasive-lionfish/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Explore the HMS Winchester with Capt. Lars Vihlen, March 18th, Islamorada&body=The <a href="http://www.divingmuseum.org/">History of Diving Museum </a>in Islamorada hosts Capt. Lars Vihlen as part of the Museum's Immerse Yourself! seminar series.
In 1695 only two years after she was built, the crew of the HMS Winchester were struck by scurvy. With the death of many and her crew greatly weakend she wrecked on a reef just south of Carysfort Light. Her remains are visible in 28 feet of water inside Penekamp Park.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-winchester.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2652" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-winchester.jpg" alt="HDM-flyer-03182015-Winchester" width="220" height="228" /></a>
The Winchester, a British man-of-war, was 121-feet in length. She had a beam of 38 feet and carried 60 guns. Almost all of her 400 crew were lost, mostly to disease.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-capt-vihlen.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2653" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-capt-vihlen.jpg" alt="HDM-flyer-03182015-Capt Vihlen" width="320" height="202" /></a>
The presentation is open to the general public. Admission is free to Monroe County residents and Museum members and $10 for visitors. Pre-seminar museum tours will be conducted at 5:15pm and 6pm. Museum tours are included with admission. Members may reserve their seats in advance.
The History of Diving Museum is located at: 82990 Overseas Hwy about one mile north of the <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/islamorada-fl/islamorada-fl-overview.html">Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost</a>.
For more information on the <a href="http://www.divingmuseum.org/">History of Diving Museum</a>
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/">www.ghofish.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost & their great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_parent">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/explore-the-hms-winchester-with-capt-lars-vihlen-march-18th-islamorada/){kind=link}
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