Honduran Divers Turn Lionfish Invasion into Community Competition

In Tela, Honduras, divers led by engineer Mario founded Tela Divers to counter the spread of invasive lionfish. Using specialized spears, the team organizes community derbies where participants compete to catch the largest, smallest, or most lionfish. The hunts are a regular, community‑led effort that helps keep local populations in check, though repopulation often follows. To sustain pressure on the species, the divers are now encouraging local fishers to harvest lionfish for restaurant use. The initiative is a long‑term effort to protect the reef ecosystem that Mario calls home.