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35
ing a lionfish and depositing the catch into our collection tube.
We worked in rotation like that for several minutes — spear,
stick, stuff. The spears we use are Cayman Islands Department
of Environment-issued Hawaiian-sling-type spears: relatively
small by design to help ensure their use is limited to lionfish.
After spearing a large lionfish it can prove tricky to keep
the fish on the spear; strikes aren’t always lethal, and big-
ger fish may be strong enough to jump off the spear. That’s
where the kill stick comes in; after spearing the lionfish, the
kill stick (essentially a long metal spike) is driven into the
fish’s head just behind and between the eyes to dispatch it
quickly. This makes the process more humane as well as
safer for the culler as it stops the lionfish from moving
unexpectedly. At least that’s the idea.
I had just exited the canyon with a large lionfish on my
spear and spiked it with the kill stick, accidentally transfer-
ring the fish from the spear to the spike in the process. The
kill stick lacked a backstop to prevent the fish from getting
dangerously close to the handle — and my hand. Well aware
that lionfish are covered by an array of venomous spines, my
instinct was to slide the fish away from my hand using the
spear. I had never been stung but had witnessed the aftermath
when Sean had, and it was not an experience I wished to have.
I was not wearing gloves. The Cayman Islands have very
strict marine conservation laws forbidding the wearing of gloves
by divers except with the express permission of the Department
of Environment, an exception that extends to licensed lionfish
culling. Gloves had never been part of my regular gear, and
I had not yet found a pair that provided adequate protection
while preserving dexterity for use of the spear.
E L L Y WR A Y