1. SAFESPEAR, LLC
PRODUCT LAUNCH
BNT Rand Centre
April 14, 2010
Gregg T. Waugh, President
Lisa A. Waugh, Vice-President
SafeSpear, LLC
2. OUTLINE
• COST OF INVASIVE SPECIES
• DESCRIBE THE INVASION
• WHAT’S BEING DONE
• THE PERFECT INVADER (BIOLOGY)
• COMMERCIAL & RECREATIONAL
HARVEST
• SAFESPEAR’S SOLUTION
3. COST
• Invasive species cost
US $137B annually
• Over past century,
>68 marine sp.
introduced in FL,
Carib. & Gulf of Mex.
• Flats fishing
generates $141M
annually in Bahamas
4. COST
• Irreversible domination of
community structure (50-
90% of fish biomass)
• Alteration of food web
• Corals
• Commercial fishing (2%-
3% of GDP)
• Recreational fishing
• TOURISM
5. INVASION
• Red Lionfish (Pterois volitan) – 97%
• Devil lionfish (Pterois miles)
• 1st. Reported 1980s along SE FL
– Commercial fisherman – 1985 Dania Beach, FL
– Several indiv. fish observed by divers off Palm Beach
& Boca and another by angler from Lake Worth Pier,
Palm Beach
• 1992 Hurricane Andrew – 6 escaped from
aquarium on Biscayne Bay
6. INVASION
• 2000 & 2001 NOAA researchers report
multiple lionfish off NC, SC, GA, FL &
Bermuda
• 2004 1st. found Bahamas by rec. divers
• May 2006 found in Freeport Canals (Mike
Stafford)
8. INVASION
• Future
Distribution –
Limited by Water
Temp.
• Minimum temp. =
10 degrees C or
50 degrees F
• Source (James Morris)
9. What’s Being Done?
• 2007 REEF worked with local dive
operators & College of the Bahamas
– lionfish surveys
• August 2007 COB Marine &
Environmental Studies Institute in
collaboration with Department of
Marine Resources established online
reporting:
• http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/baham
asweb2/home.nsf/vContentW/GOV--
Other--Marine+Resources+-
+Lionfish+Survey!Opendocument
10. Bahamas
Government
• Ministry of Agriculture &
Fisheries
• Department of Marine
Resources
• COB-Marine & Environmental
Studies Institute
• NGOs (BNT, BREEF, The
Nature Conservancy)
• Private Sector
12. National Lionfish Response Plan
• COB-Marine & Environmental Studies
Institute/Department Marine Resources
(2009)
• High Priority Mgmt. Strategies (1-2 yrs)
• Amend Regulations
– Allow spearfishing w/SCUBA for tournaments
& organized dive groups
– Unlimited bag limit of lionfish
– Allow spearing of lionfish around islands
• Encourage Commercial Fishery
• Expand & Improve Protection of
National Parks & Marine Reserves
13. The Perfect Invader - Reproduction
• Mature in year 1 • Eggs encased in
• Males – 4” gelatinous mucous –
• Females – 7” hollow & traps sperm
• Eggs evolve & grow on • 26 day larval duration
stalks; each egg has • Spawn year round – every
somewhat of an umbilical 4 days
cord • 25,000 eggs/batch
• Complex courtship – female • >2 MILLION eggs per
releases 2 egg masses female per year
14. The Perfect Invader
Feeding
• Eat > 40 species
• Stomach expands
30X in volume •Exuma work: reduce
• Eat fish ½-3/4 size native fish by 80%
• Observed eating 20 •LF consuming more
small fish in 30 min. biomass in some of
• Nassau groupers & higher densities that
yellow tail snappers recruiting to site
Picture from Morris
15. The Perfect Invader - Predators
• Natural predators – • Exuma Feeding Trials
large groupers, coronet – Nassau grouper, red
fish? Octopus mimics hind, grasby, nurse
shark & octopus
• Native predators don’t
– 5-39 days=no LF eaten
recognize LF as prey
• NMFS Beaufort, NC
• Found in Nassau
– Similar results with
groupers, greater AJ,
black sea bass, gag
sharks
16. The Perfect Invader - Density
• Why?
– Niche empty
– Lack of predators
– Lots of food
– Warm temperature
– Grow larger (18”+
Bahamas versus 15”
native range)
Source: James Morris
17. VENOMOUS NOT POISONOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!
• D, V & A Spines
• Severe pain, swelling, rash
• 2 Glandular Groves
• Release venom when tissue is
disturbed
• Venom is in the spines NOT in
the flesh/meat
• Remove spines = Remove
venom = Safe to eat!!!!!!!
Source: James Morris
18. SafeSpear, LLC
• Formed in 2009 to
market new polespear
system (Patent Pending)
• Company
– Gregg Waugh, Pres.
– Lisa Waugh, VP; day-
day & product
research
– Andrew Cogswell –
prototype design/sales
– Margaret Cogswell –
web & drawings
19. SafeSpear, LLC
The Lionfish Kit includes:
• Polespear (Patent Pending)
• Bag - Deep Water Lionfish Bag
(shown) or Shallow Water Lionfish
Bucket Float (Patent Pending)
• Lionfish Gloves
• Lionfish Grippers
• Lionfish Clippers
• Knife
• First Aid Kit/Info - heat pack
shown; denatures venom
• Recipes
• Retail price for the Lionfish Kit is
$350 (plus duty &
shipping/handling).
20. Why SafeSpear, LLC?
• Lionfish not a part of my diving experience growing up around
West End
• 30 years experience in fishery management limiting mortality,
now encourage fishing; help rebuild other species
• Concerned about protecting environment and will be donating
10% profit to 4 Groups:
– Bahamas National Trust (BNT)
– Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF)
– Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS)
– Gulf & Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI)
21. THANKS
• BNT – Cecilia Bodie, Karin • Sonny & Alice Waugh
Sanchez & Eric Carey • Lisa Waugh
• UNEXSO – Linda Osborne, • Andrew & Margaret Cogswell
Cristina Zenato & Nikki Waugh • Chris Waugh/Billy
• DMR – Michael Braynen • Brian Waugh
• VIP Services Ltd. -Janet Albury • Godfrey Waugh
& Liz Cheong
• Lee Waugh Malone
• Michael & Megan Malone
• Michael Stafford & Dean
Bethel (1st. LF dive)