Places for the hunt of lionfish

These are the best places to hunt the lionfish on vacation according to the ease of regulations, the amount of lionfish and the quality of the diving destination. Diving operators in the United States and throughout the Caribbean have discovered that allowing visitors to hunt the lionfish is a double victory because it increases tourism and helps the environment. The divers win because they can add a little more adventure to their already memorable vacations and, usually, a dinner of fresh fish to accompany! We are not the only ones who plan their vacations in places where you can hunt the lionfish, so we have decided to compile this list of the best places to hunt the lionfish as a tourist. There are much more spectacular destinations, then we have space to list here, so if you are looking for an operator in a specific location, see our extensive list of dive operators that allow hunting for lionfish here.

 
 Placencia, Belize
 Placencia is a small town in southern Belize, along the coast and near the incredible barrier reef that lies on the coast. The rustic community of Placencia is currently in a phase of rapid growth and things are only improving. Along with the incredible clarity of water and marine life, Placencia still has many lionfish and some great local dive operators.
 Aruba

 

 
 "The only happy island" of Aruba is not only a great place to visit, but also a fun place to hunt the lionfish. There are several very active groups and dive operators that hunt around the island of Aruba to get in touch before going and very few restrictions that make it one of the best places to hunt the lionfish.
 Cozumel, Mexico
 Cozumel has to be on the list because it is one of the most popular diving destinations in the Caribbean for good reason. The beautiful reef on the leeward side of the island, the incredible marine life, many things to do and plenty of affordable accommodations combine to make Cozumel a top-notch diving destination. Much of the regular diving is done in a marine park and only divemasters can carry spears, so much of the lionfish hunting takes place in a short ferry ride on the mainland side or outside the park.
 Jamaica

 

 
 The dive operators in Couples Swept Away and Couples in Negril and Ocho Rios are at the forefront of their game when it comes to offering lionfish hunting to their guests. These luxurious all-inclusive resorts include diving, and after obtaining your PADI Lionfish Hunter specialty, you will be taken to enjoy the thrill of lionfish hunting as part of your vacation.

     
 Florida Panhandle from Mobile Bay, AL to Apalachicola, FL
 Florida has a great scuba diving and a big lionfish hunt throughout the state. Jupiter, FL, is one of my favorite places to dive along with the beautiful Florida Keys, but it is the large amount of lionfish in the northern Gulf of Mexico that makes it one of the best places to hunt the lionfish . Perhaps it is the numerous and scattered artificial reefs in the area that attract the lionfish from the relatively shallow hard bottom around the area, or perhaps because the northern Gulf of Mexico was later in the invasion cycle than some of the areas from the east, but whatever the reason why the hunters in the area are throwing a ridiculous number of lionfish.
Barbados

 

 
 Barbados is another great vacation destination with excellent diving and many opportunities to hunt the lionfish.
 United States Virgin Islands
 With the 3 beautiful islands of St. Thomas, St. Johns and St. Croix, there is much to discover and enjoy in these islands of easy access with direct flights and no passport needed for Americans. The ease of access, the friendly environment of underwater fishing and the limited restrictions are the reason why the USVI make our list of the best places to hunt the lionfish.

     
 Curacao
 Ocean Encounters in Curacao has been practicing lionfish hunting on the island for several years and has eliminated thousands of lionfish from local waters. Many of the local divers also hunt lionfish regularly in Curacao, and most of the other dive shops on the island hunt divers.

Hunting gear for lionfish
speargun
Pole spears
Hawaiian slings

Handmade DamascusSteel Hunting Knife

 Keep in mind that this list does not pretend to classify the places in order, they are all excellent places to dive and hunt the lionfish and one is not necessarily better than the others. There are also many other excellent places to hunt the lionfish on vacation that we did not include because we have not had the opportunity to visit ourselves or the location may have other restrictions. Some excellent destinations require special permits, high fees or equipment restrictions that keep them off this list because we want to provide you with the easiest and most accessible places to plan your search.