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Lionfish Symposium Success
During Underwater Intervention in New Orleans 2015, the US GOM Diving Safety Work Group held a symposium regarding the lionfish and the effects that they are having on the environment and on our commercial divers that are having to work in close proximity to the fish. Experts in the field of understanding and monitoring the invasive lionfish provided the attendees with a good history as well as the current progress being made as it relates to controlling the continued expansion of the fish in US waters and South America.
 The Lionfish has continued to make an environmental impact on the Gulf of Mexico and has caused multiple injuries to divers that work in close proximity to the fish while performing work on platforms. As we continue to monitor the further movements of the Lionfish with the understanding that they will continue their invasive path through the waters, the main objective of the symposium was to learn how to safely work around the fish and how to avoid contact once they are discovered at the work site.
The panel included:
James A. Morris Jr. Ph.D.
Dr. James Morris is a marine ecologist with the NOAA National Ocean Service based at the NOAA Beaufort Laboratory in North Carolina. Dr. Morris conducts research on invasive species, aquaculture, and other issues that affect coastal ecosystems. In 2011, Dr. Morris received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from President Obama for his research on invasive species. His studies of invasive lionfish in the western Atlantic and Caribbean has helped understand how lionfish physiology drives the invasion. His studies also helped define the ecological impact of lionfish on reef fish communities and better understand the global threat lionfish pose to biodiversity.
Lad Akins
Lad Akins was the Founding Executive Director and now Director of Special Projects at REEF an international marine conservation organization based in Florida. He has broad experience in marine biological systems and assessments, and has experience as a submersible pilot (Deepworker), saturation diver (Aquarius), and a scuba diver with over 10,000 dives. His current focus on the invasive lionfish issue has included authorship on numerous journal articles, national and regional lionfish response plans and working with government and university partners to conduct cutting edge research on lionfish control programs.
Tony Alleman, MD, MPH
Dr. Tony Alleman is the owner of the Occupational Medicine Clinics of South Louisiana with offices in Lafayette and New Iberia where he works with 4 other occupational and diving physicians. He completed his occupational medicine training at Duke and his undersea and hyperbaric medicine training here in New Orleans at LSU. Dr. Alleman is currently board certified in occupational medicine and undersea and hyperbaric medicine. He has been active in Underwater Intervention for the last 7 years. He is currently the committee chairman of the ADC's Physician Diving Advisory Committee.
Dr. Alleman's presentation can be found on the Documents page.
Bryan Sully
Mr. Bryan Sully is a Diving Superintendent and Saturation Supervisor for Aqueos Corporation. Mr. Sully has over 20 years of experience in the commercial diving industry - earning progressive roles with increasing responsibilities during that time. As an Offshore Person Leading Work (PLW), he brings to the panel the perspective risk mitigation & safety focus while complying with customer objectives and worksite efficiency (and the challenges that managing those two objectives present). Mr. Sully has almost 1000 days in Saturation, is a LA State & Nationally recognized Paramedic, DMT, ACLS Instructor, and has earned numerous other certifications and accreditations that support his reputation as "a Consummate Safety Champion." Bryan also recently earned his Bachelor's Degree of Applied Science in Allied Health from Northwestern State University.
Mark Lonsdale
Mark V. Lonsdale, Diving Operations Manager, Oceaneering International. Thirty-five years in the commercial diving industry; former SAT diver for Sub Sea International in the North Sea, Scotland, Norway, Holland, Australia, and New Zealand. Former course director in the UCLA diving program, Department of Underwater Kinesiology; and Diver and Diving Supervisors for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Special Enforcement Bureau Dive Team. Author of "United States Navy Diver - Performance Under Pressure" (2005) and "SRT Diver - A Guide for Special Response Teams" (1990)
Mr. Lonsdale's presentation can be found on the Documents page.
We want to thank the panel that presented as well as the numerous attendees for taking the time for the event. We are also grateful for the engagement by all to make this a success. Jeff Theriot will continue to meet with the panel members to gain any new insight on this issue and he will update the US GOM DSWG membership as progress is made on how to safely interact with the Lionfish while engaging in offshore commercial diving operations.
We have attached some links below to provide information on the effects by the Lionfish and methods being used to control and how to safely work in areas being invaded. We have also provided two of the presentations that were provided by Dr. Tony Alleman and Mark Lonsdale on the Documents page.
Lionfish Manual
NOAA Lionfish Website
REEF Lionfish Website
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