Red lionfish are beautiful yet formidable hunters. While striking in appearance, they are an invasive species in the Caribbean, where they pose a serious threat to native marine life and reef ecosystems.

While diving in Roatán, Honduras, I encountered countless lionfish. Their abundance has become such a concern that the island has established a certification program to teach divers how to safely remove these invasive predators from the reefs.

I participated in Roatán’s lionfish certification program and caught my first lionfish on May 19, 2025, at a dive site called “First Bight”.

This piece commemorates that experience, capturing the beauty of the lionfish while also acknowledging the devastating impact this invasive species has on Caribbean reefs.

Original acrylic pointillism on 14 × 14-inch canvas.

The original is still available for purchase.