As the annual Winter Lionfish Derby gets under way, dozens of lionfish hunters around the island are combining their “best efforts” to cull the invasive species.

The annual tournament takes place throughout January and this year hunters are aiming to beat the tournament’s record of 1,215 lionfish speared in 2021.

According to a map of lionfish caught all year round, 43 lionfish have been taken since the tournament started on January 1.

A total of 63 participants drawn from 18 teams – comprising one to four members — have joined forces for the common cause.

The tournament is organised by the Bermuda Lionfish Task Force.

Stuart Joblin, a member of the group, said that between 800 and 1,000 lionfish were usually snagged during the tournament

“It is definitely the busiest month to catch them for sure,” he added.

“We’re giving our best efforts to control them.

“It seems as though in the wintertime when the visibility is a bit better, the water is a bit cooler, they are out and about more.”

He said sunrise and sunset were favourable times and that yesterday he and his sister had dived off Devonshire Bay at about 6.20am and bagged two lionfish.

He added: “They weren’t as many as we would have liked to catch but that means there are two fewer in the water.”

However, Mr Joblin said January’s weather was not always favourable for the hunt, with no dives expected over the frigid weekend.

He said: “You kind of have to pick your weather window because when the wind is persistently from the north, everybody is hitting South Shore hard and all the beach spots.

“In nice weather, if you have a boat, you will have a lot more fish out there but you need the weather.”

This year’s winners will receive prizes at a ceremony at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo tank room on February 16 from 6pm to 8pm.

Mr Joblin said the task force encouraged teams of four.

“We basically would much rather people be in the water with a dive buddy,” he added.

“It’s safer and you’re probably going to get more fish, so we try to encourage the two-buddy system.”

Mr Joblin said the species reproduced “prolifically” but its eggs did not always mature.

“Will we ever catch them all? Probably not — but we are doing the best we can.”

The task force represents diverse organisations, institutions, community groups, businesses and charities as well as the general public.

Its primary objective is to draw up a Bermuda Lionfish Control Plan focused on research and assessment, detection and removal of the species; and outreach, training and education.

As word spreads of the threat posed by lionfish to the island’s reef ecosystem, students from the Berkeley Institute’s marine sciences classes joined lionfish workshops offered by the Bermuda Zoological Society.

A BZS spokeswoman said the S3 students participated in classroom and hands-on underwater sessions.

The BZS said some “brave souls” had battled the cool December waters for the hunt and were now qualified for their culling permits, opening the way for them to join the lionfish culling recreational squad.

Residents can obtain a special permit to hunt lionfish, allowing the holder to carry a three-prong spear to cull the species — and to hunt the fish using scuba gear in areas where fishing would not otherwise be permitted.

• For more information or to find out when the next lionfish training course will be held, please visit the tournament’sFacebook page or send an e-mail to bltf.bda@gmail.com