Hello everybody,
Hi everyone,
Please find below an update on the Lion-Fish sighting - and now capture - on Aruba.
Greetings from Curacao (no Lion-Fish reported yet)
Andreas
Byron Boekhoudt, Coastal Zone Management coordinator of Aruba, reports that yesterday diveshop Unique Sports on Aruba went back to the spot where a lionfish had been reported last week and was able to locate and capture it. People from the Aruba fisheries department (DLVV) were alerted and picked up the fish. Byron Boekhoudt will arrange to take samples of the fish for DNA analysis through the REEF organization, who are working with experts to analyze genetic material from Lionfish from all over the Caribbean and Western Atlantic to establish the relationships between local populations.
The captured lionfish (see pictures below) was estimated to measure about 20 cm from the tip of its mouth to the fork of its tail. It is now temporarily on display at Buccaneer restaurant, who kindly cooperated and provided their aquarium to keep it until everything is ready to euthanize it and prepare the DNA samples according to the protocol provided by REEF. Only four months ago REEF held a very timely workshop in Bonaire to prepare for the coming of the lionfish in the Dutch Caribbean islands.
Lionfish are considered a dangerous pest (invasive species) because they are not native to the Caribbean, reproduce quickly, have no natural enemies on the Caribbean reefs (except for large groupers which are practically extinct because of overfishing), and devour large amounts of small and juvenile fish dramatically reducing recruitment of new reef fish such as snappers, groupers, grunts and parrotfish. They also have sharp highly venomous spines that cause excruciating pain when stung, and in exceptional cases can even cause death in humans. Lionfish started their conquest of the Caribbean in 1992, presumably after having been released or escaped frorm an aquarium in Florida. First they spread northwards along the coast of the US. Ten years later they jumped to the Bahamas, a few years later to Cuba, and in just the past two years spread among all the northern islands of the Caribbean and Central America. A map of their progression can be found at the followoing website:
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/lionfish_progression/lionfish_progression.html
Because lionfish spread by dispersal of larvae that can travel great distances in the sea currents, and they live down to depths of 175 m (600 ft), it is practically impossible to completely eradicate them once they are established, with new larvae continuously coming in from distant locations. The only practicable response is to control their numbers by capturing them as soon as they are spotted. They are easily caught using two hand nets, and they are good to eat.
Best,
Paul
Hello everybody,
Hi there,
Early this afternnon a group of Brazilian divers met 2 huge manta rays when diving Alice in Wonderland right in front of Ocean Encounters West dive shop.
check out the video on YouTube
A bit later, the two giants (the bigger one with a wing span of approximately 15ft, the other one only slightly smaller!) had travelled over to Playa Piscado in front of All West Apartments. One got caught briefly in the moring line of a fisherman's boat, with the result that the line got ripped off the anchor block and the fisherman's boat went sailing towards the open sea on its own. OEW manager Bryan towed it back with our dive boat.
In the meantime, the mantas kept swimming around in shallow water, clearly visible from the balconies of All West Apartments. It looked spectacular, with their wingtips cutting the surface every now and then! While I watched the rays from above, a guest family went down to snorkel with them - the giants passed right underneath them, so you could get a good estimate of their size. I am pretty sure that tonight at Sol Food we'll have a lot to discuss over a couple of beers (and pizza, and brownies), and the rays will grow even bigger in our stories 
Greetings from sunny "Manta" Curacao
Andreas
Hi there,
Coral Spawning 2009
September 10th, 2009
Come and join Ocean Encounters West for this year’s spectacular spawning event!!
What is Coral Spawning?
Twice a year, in September and October, one week after full moon, all over the world this miraculous event happens: the coral starts spawning. In a period of a few days several types of coral, sea urchins, soft corals, worms, brittle stars and sponges release their eggs and sperm.
For information about coral spawning and to contribute to the spawning observations go to the Reef Care Curaçao web site.
When & Where
o Guided Night shore dive to witness the spectacular spawning event
Price: $75 USD/pp (all incl.) – space is limited – please reserve in advance!!
Dive Shop Ph#: 5999-864-0102 Email: info@oceanencounterswest.com
www.oceanencounterswest.com
