Dive Shops That Allow Lionfish Hunting: Roger’s Curated List
One of the most practical challenges facing newly certified lionfish hunters is a simple one: where do you actually go to hunt? Not every dive shop offers lionfish hunting, and regulations vary widely across jurisdictions. Walking into a dive operation without knowing their policy on spearfishing, even for an invasive species, can lead to confusion, refusal, or missed opportunities.
Roger J. Muller Jr. recognized this gap early in his LionfishDivers.com work and has spent years building a network of dive operators across the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and Atlantic who actively welcome and support lionfish hunters. Here’s why this list matters and how to use it.
Why This List Matters
The difference between a dive shop that tolerates lionfish hunting and one that actively embraces it is enormous. An enthusiastic operation will have quality equipment available for rent (including Zookeepers and pole spears), briefings from divemasters who know the local reef and where lionfish concentrate, relationships with local restaurants who will cook your catch, and a culture of celebrating each successful removal. A reluctant operation may technically allow hunting but provide little support or infrastructure.
Roger’s list focuses on the genuinely enthusiastic operations: the ones where staff are as excited about your hunt as you are, where the divemaster knows every ledge where a big lionfish has been spotted, and where the day ends with someone cooking your catch over a fire on the beach. These are the operations worth traveling for.
What Makes a Good Lionfish-Friendly Dive Shop?
- Equipment availability: Proper pole spears, Zookeeper tubes, and heavy gloves available for rent or purchase onsite.
- Staff training: Divemasters and instructors who have themselves hunted lionfish and can guide guests effectively.
- Local knowledge: Specific knowledge of where lionfish concentrate on local reef structures, updated regularly as populations shift.
- Regulatory awareness: Clear, up-to-date knowledge of local hunting regulations and any permit requirements.
- Culinary connections: Relationships with local restaurants, chefs, or fish markets who will take the catch and prepare it.
- Conservation culture: A shop culture that celebrates removals, tracks numbers, and participates in broader regional efforts.
Featured Regions: Caribbean, Gulf Coast, Atlantic
Roger’s vetted network spans several key lionfish-hunting regions. In the Caribbean, standout operations exist in Aruba, Roatán Honduras, Dominica, Jamaica, the US Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands. Gulf Coast operations in Florida and along the panhandle have some of the most aggressive removal programs. Atlantic operations from Florida to the Carolinas are increasingly active as lionfish continue to push northward seasonally.
The full and regularly updated list is available at LionfishDivers.com. Roger personally visits and vets operations before including them; he won’t put his name behind a shop he hasn’t experienced firsthand or received credible firsthand reports about from trusted dive professionals.
How to Contact and Prepare for a Lionfish Hunt Dive
When reaching out to a dive shop on the list, be specific about your goals. Let them know you’re a certified diver (share your certification level and any relevant specialty), that you have or are bringing your own equipment, and that you’re interested in their most productive lionfish sites. Ask about regulations in their area and whether any permits or documentation are needed. Most operations on Roger’s list will respond enthusiastically; they’re used to motivated hunters and genuinely love working with them.
Submit Your Dive Shop to the List
Are you a dive operator who actively supports lionfish hunting? Roger wants to know about you. Operations can submit for consideration through LionfishDivers.com. The vetting process is real but straightforward; Roger simply needs to know that you have the equipment, the knowledge, and the culture to give visiting hunters the experience they deserve. Listings are free. The visibility to a motivated, conservation-minded international dive audience is valuable.
For more about lionfish education, SSI certifications, hunting, and cooking, visit LionfishDivers.com and learn about Roger’s upcoming SSI Lionfish Awareness Distinctive Specialty certification program.
