Carly Bond

Title: Partner, Aquatic Hunt

Association, Company, Affiliations: Aquatic Hunt

Location: Pompano Beach, FL

Your favorite quote: “Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else.” – Judy Garland

Your message or mission statement: I’ve loved the ocean for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the northeast on the water, I would swim long before it warmed up sufficiently in the Spring and long after it cooled down in the Fall – you could not tear me away. It was the place that I found peace, calm and admired the beauty of what was in front of me… watching and listening to the waves at any time of year, becoming my own version of a fish in the summer swimming all day and taking the pups for walks on snow-covered beaches in the winter. It was because of this upbringing that my love of the ocean propelled me south from my career in NYC to finding a new opportunity within my career field, but also to scuba dive and ultimately learn to slay lionfish.

As a passionate scuba diver who continues to be amazed by our beautiful reefs, I started lionfish hunting about 3 years ago and have made it a mission to help engage and educate more divers about the growing problem.

Your latest endeavors and where they take place: Most recently, in addition to working in Marketing and Business Strategy for an international CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) company; I’ve joined forces with my co-worker and dive buddy on Aquatic Hunt (www.aquatichunt.com). We were passing time on a surface interval one day in late 2021, talking about what could be and in November of 2022, he launched the company with myself on board as a partner focusing on Sales, Marketing, Social and the many hats you wear as a team of two with a new business! In April of 2023, we announced the launch of the Lionfish Locker – a new containment unit designed with features we know would benefit divers and hunters including built in spear storage, instant fill and drainage, a flip-top for quick emptying of your catch and 4 clip-off points to keep your gear streamlined. It also breaks down flat for more environmentally friendly shipping, as well as for travel.

Gear and educational information can be found on our website, and to date we have several retailers in line to be carrying the Lionfish Locker once inventory is available in July 2023!

What efforts are you most proud of? What gives me the greatest joy as it relates to these endeavors is both the relationships I have built within the community as well as being able to educate new divers and/or those interested in hunting on how they can help, including giving them the confidence to give it a try! We’ve all been new at it at one point and I make a point of being someone that people feel comfortable talking to. I am happy to support anyone or any brand who has a like-minded goal of keeping our oceans and reefs beautiful!

Anything else you’d like us to know? #JoinTheHunt with me!