Fortunately more and more dive destinations are starting to open up lionfish hunting for tourists. Even places that have never allowed spearfishing in the past are finally realizing what a significant hazard to the marine environment the lionfish pose, and they are figuring out that allowing tourists to hunt lionfish in their waters is good for the reef and also good for business. Many divers prefer to spend their precious vacation dollars where they can also hunt lionfish while diving.

Dive destinations where tourists are allowed to spear lionfish

For starters, don’t rule out Florida. We have great diving, no license required for an unlimited number of lionfish, and I’ve never heard of a dive business other than in Pennekamp Key Largo that won’t let you hunt lionfish. Pretty much every dive operator will allow it, although some like to see an ‘Advanced’ dive certification. As a courtesy, it’s also always a good idea to bring your own small cooler with ice for storing your lionfish. We don’t want the other guests to have to reach past your lionfish to get into the boat’s cooler for other items.

Please help us keep this list updated by sending us a message here if you know of any other places that will allow tourists to hunt lionfish.

Akumal, Mexico– http://www.divewithnatalieandivan.com/index.html

Anguilla-?

Antigua & Barbuda-?

Aruba– Norman Arends, PADI Instructor, Bucho_420@yahoo.com 297-731-6336 https://www.facebook.com/ArubaUnderWaterHuntersAuwh

Bahamas– http://www.julietsailinganddiving.com/ (liveaboard dive boat departs Miami)

Barbados– http://www.divebarbadosblue.com/

– http://spearfishingbarbados.com/

Bay Islands of Honduras

– Utila– http://www.utilacaysdiving.com/

– http://www.coralviewutila.com/

– Roatan– http://www.roatanlionfishcompany.com Kelly Ash lionfish hunting trips

– Guanaja-?

Bermuda– http://www.bermudascuba.com/lionfish

Belize– http://reefci.com/ Sapodilla Cays

– http://www.splashbelize.com/ Placencia

Bonaire– http://www.wannadive.com/wannapress/

British Virgin Islands – Sorry, the BVI don’t allow visitors to hunt lionfish

Cayman– http://oceanfrontiers.com/dive-boat-trips/lionfish-hunt.html

– http://www.ambassadordivers.com/

Colombia-?

Cozumel, Mexico– http://triplesail.com/ Guided lionfish hunts

Cuba– Nothing to link to, but we understand you can lionfish hunt around the island.

Curacao– http://www.oceanencounters.com/en/diving-a-snorkeling/lionfish-scuba-dive-experience

Dominica– http://www.divedominica.com/

Dominican Republic– http://scubafun.info/ contact John Sack

– http://divingdr.com/ Sharky’s

Grenada– http://www.ecodiveandtrek.com/

Guadeloupe-?

Jamaica– http://www.scuba-jamaica.com/

Martinique– Sorry, the french islands don’t allow tourists to hunt lionfish

Montserrat– http://www.aquamontserrat.com/#!home/mainPage

Panama– http://www.goldenfrogscuba.com/ Rey Sanchez

– http://dive.com.pa/ Alvaro Silva

– http://www.2oceansdivers.com/

Puerto Rico– Lionfish hunting is allowed, still waiting to hear from dive shops that will take tourists out hunting

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico– http://tankha.com/

St. Barts-?

St. Kitts & Nevis– http://www.divestkitts.com/

St. Lucia– http://www.aadivers.org/about.html

St. Martin– Sorry, the french islands don’t allow tourists to hunt lionfish

Trinidad & Tobago– http://divingintobago.com// Wild Turtle Scuba Club

– http://www.cocomotion.net/ Marlon Winter Roach

– http://www.tobagofrontierdivers.com/ Frontier Divers

– http://www.underseatobago.com/ Undersea Tobago

Turks & Caicos Islands – Sorry, the Turks & Caicos don’t allow visitors to hunt lionfish

US Virgin Islands– http://www.corevi.org/invasive-lionfish.html