A Little Harm… Hunting Invasive Lionfish in Honduras

Last updated on August 1, 2025 by Shannon

As I contorted into a series of awkward positions to pull my wetsuit over damp skin, my instructor Ethan and I reviewed our diving plan for the day.

He filled me in on the array of marine life I could expect to encounter—trumpet fish, crabs, eels, barracudas, and even a toad fish, all residents of the warm Honduran waters off Utila’s coast.

Yet, he held off on mentioning the lionfish until we completed our first two dives and had two separate sightings of this invasive species.

Or should I say, the “evil lionfish,” as Utila’s divemasters have aptly named these non-native interlopers that have colonized the Caribbean due to a lack of natural predators.

As is so often the case on my travels what I think is the story or the adventure is just never the case. Although I was pursuing my Advanced Divers certification, what struck me most about my week of diving in Honduras was the concern that grew every day among the locals as lionfish sightings increased on every dive trip.

History of the Lionfish Invasion into Caribbean Waters

The lionfish, originally from the Indo-Pacific waters, made its way to the Atlantic and Caribbean seas largely due to the aquarium and exotic pet trade in the late ’80s and early ’90s. For a long time, many believed that Hurricane Andrew, which tore through Southern Florida in 1992, was responsible for releasing the lionfish into these new waters—a hurricane I personally remember weathering with my family in our boarded-up home.

However, recent findings suggest a different story. NOAA has reported that lionfish sightings off Florida’s coast date back to the mid-1980s. While all accounts point to South Florida aquariums as the origin, whether the species’ Caribbean expansion is attributable to a natural disaster like a hurricane or intentional human action remains an enduring enigma.

What’s unquestionable is the devastating impact this invasive fish has had on marine ecosystems and coral reefs, which are already grappling with the effects of climate change.

In the Caribbean, the lionfish faces no natural predators, reproduces at an alarming rate, and disrupts local biodiversity on an unprecedented scale. These carnivorous fish feast on small crustaceans and young commercial fish species, such as snapper and grouper.

Here’s a chilling fact:

Over a span of just five weeks, lionfish can decimate native fish populations by an average of 79%, hunting in organized groups and continuing their feeding frenzy until an area is entirely devoid of prey.

World Bank

And if you think this issue is confined to the Caribbean, you’re mistaken. In the fourty years since this ecological invasion commenced, the World Bank reveals that the lionfish have now been observed as far north as Rhode Island and as far south as Brazil.

How to Combat the Lionfish Invasion in the Caribbean

While lionfish are a stubborn foe unlikely to be fully eradicated from Caribbean waters using traditional methods, new approaches have evolved to combat them.

During my dive course in Utila, I observed divemasters signaling each other to approach with their dive knives whenever they spotted a lionfish. This was the initial strategy back in 2010, using available tools to thin the population.

Nowadays, however, divemasters and many recreational divers are armed with spearguns, thanks to training programs initiated by several Caribbean nations.

Spearguns offer an advantage over dive knives, particularly because lionfish have venomous dorsal spines, complicating their control in these waters. Although a lionfish sting is excruciating, it’s generally not lethal to humans. To make the kill more efficient, many divers now opt to wear gloves while hunting lionfish.

Beyond merely killing these fish, various marine organizations have undertaken other methods of control. These include “lionfish derbies” for mass capture and even attempts to create a market for lionfish meat—it’s safe to eat the soft flesh once the venomous spines are removed.

Despite its description by some as a delicacy, lionfish meat is not everyone’s first choice; there are certainly tastier options available. This has made the task of establishing a lionfish market somewhat challenging.

What Does this Mean for the Marine Ecosystem?

The lionfish issue resonates with me deeply, not only as a diving enthusiast but also because its origins can be traced back to Florida’s exotic pet trade.

Years ago, the exotic snake trade was wreaking havoc on the Everglades ecosystem in Florida. And then there’s the global demand for black-market tiger parts, which has devastated tiger populations.

The topic of global warming may stir debate and skepticism due to views on the cyclical nature of climate, but one thing is clear: Humans are the architects of these crises.

All the issues mentioned stem from our fascination with the exotic and the illegal pet trades—our unquenchable desire for the foreign and the novel.

This yearning for the exotic can be likened to the essence of travel—I traverse the world to better understand different cultures. Could it be that for some, these exotic animals serve as a way to bring the foreign right into their living rooms?

So what’s our course of action now?

The idea of completely eradicating lionfish from the Caribbean and Atlantic is no longer feasible—coastal countries like Belize and Honduras face a Herculean task. The focus has shifted to ongoing population control.

Left unchecked, lionfish could decimate many native fish species. Governments now bear the responsibility of monitoring and managing lionfish numbers to ensure the survival of local fish communities.

It’s also time for widespread education and awareness. The environmental degradation we’re causing is, in many cases, irreversible and will indelibly mark our planet. It’s high time we face this reality and act before it’s too late.