Lionfish Awareness Dinner and SSI Graduation Held at Aruba’s Hadicurari Restaurant

PALM BEACH, ARUBA – March 5, 2026

On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Hadicurari Restaurant hosted a spectacular Lionfish Tasting and Graduation Dinner, celebrating the certification of eight new students in the Scuba Schools International (SSI) Invasive Lionfish Course. The evening was organized and hosted by Roger J. Muller Jr., an SSI Divemaster Instructor with over 4,500 dives and a passionate advocate for marine conservation.

The event aimed to promote lionfish awareness in conjunction with Lionfishdivers.com and Lionfishuniversity.org. The graduating students completed their classroom coursework at the Aruba Archeological Museum in Oranjestad before proving their skills in the water by hunting the invasive species. The freshly caught lionfish were then expertly prepared by the chef at Hadicurari, under the attentive care of restaurant managers Dries Vanlerberghe and Alex Duque.

A special ceremony was held during the evening to honor the students who graduated from the Scuba Schools International (SSI) Invasive Species Management–Lionfish Class. The graduates recognized were Vasili Karalewich, Taylor Muller, Wesley Moore, Perry Megens, Stacy Frank, and Devin Hines. Each student demonstrated their commitment to marine conservation by mastering the skills needed to safely hunt and remove invasive lionfish from Aruba’s reefs.

The dinner also served as a filming location for an upcoming documentary about Muller’s ongoing fight against the invasive lionfish. The film, expected to be released toward the end of 2026, is being directed by famous screenwriter and producer Jim “JV” Hart and co-produced by Stacy Frank, both owners of Lionfish University. The event was captured on camera by videographers Kanter Constandse and Jordan from Global Wings Aruba.

Muller is no stranger to educational outreach on the island. With a large following on YouTube, he has dedicated significant time to raising awareness about the lionfish threat, which included teaching a class last year at the Kudawecha primary school in Noord.

The celebration brought together an enthusiastic group of 30 attendees, blending local politicians, conservationists, dive professionals, and family. The guest list featured a strong showing from the local and international diving community:

• Roger J. Muller Jr., Event Host and SSI Divemaster Instructor
• Andrea Muller, Roger’s wife (OWD)
• Taylor Muller, PADI Assistant Instructor and Roger’s daughter
• Devin Hines, United Airlines Pilot and Open Water Rescue Diver
• Vasili Karalewich, Divemaster
• Wendrick Cecilia, Aruba Tourism Minister
• Carlos Bermudez, Current Aruba North District Parliament Member
• Marisol Tromp, Past Parliament Member, and TV personality Lelicia Tromp
• Jim “JV” Hart, Famous Producer and Lionfish University Co-owner and diver
• Stacy Frank, Producer and Lionfish University Co-owner and diver
• Rambo Flanigan, Ranger at Arikok National Park, and his wife Morelia Flanigan
• Perry Megens, Divemaster for Aruba Fly & Dive (From Holland)
• Gerard Decuba, Aruba Boat Captain & diver who filleted the fish
• Alex Maduro, Boat Captain
• Kanter Constandse and Jordan, Videographers for Global Wings Aruba
• Castro Perez, Retired Aruba Reef Care (OW), and his wife Nancy Perez
• Wessley Moore, PADI Instructor & Lionfish hunter and Meredith Moore (OWD)
• Kristan Almquist, PADI Rescue Diver
• Trey Wyatt, OW Diver
• Eric Ras, OWD & Lionfish hunter
• Paula and Irwin Huerta, PADI Instructors & Owners of Aruba Fly & Dive

The evening was a resounding success, highlighting the importance of community involvement in protecting Aruba’s reef ecosystems while enjoying the culinary rewards of the hunt.

Local dive leaders and lionfish hunters

An evening of camaraderie and conservation