REEF CONSERVATION. REIMAGINED.
Protect our reefs. Empower our island.
Turning Aruba’s lionfish invasion into a sustainable fishery—through deep-water innovation and the strength of our local community.
300
m
Lionfish reach depths
divers cannot.
5
Local captains in our
proposed pilot fleet.
20
Smart traps. One carefully
controlled first year.
1
Island. One shared
future to protect.
01 / THE CHALLENGE
AN INVASION BELOW THE SURFACE
A beautiful fish.
A devastating impact.
Lionfish don’t belong in Aruba’s reefs. But they’re here—and they’re hungry.
With few natural predators in the Caribbean, invasive lionfish consume the juvenile fish that keep our marine ecosystems in balance. Removing them is essential. Reaching them is the challenge.
Scuba-based hunting makes a difference in shallow waters. But at depths up to 300 meters, there aren’t enough divers—and diving alone cannot be the whole solution.
Understand the deep-water challenge →
FIELD NOTE 01
Protecting what makes Aruba extraordinary.
THE NEXT CHAPTER IN CONSERVATION
From hunting lionfish.
To building a fishery.
More fishers. Smarter technology. A local market that makes reef protection a livelihood—not just a one-off mission.
↓
02 / OUR APPROACH
Four pillars.
One connected mission.
Conservation works when engineering, people, science, and knowledge work together. That’s our C.O.R.E.
C
.
Culling
Go deeper. Fish smarter.
Small-boat trap technology takes the fight beyond the limits of scuba diving.
EXPLORE CULLING →
O
.
Outreach
From reef to restaurant.
A local market for lionfish turns an invasive species into a sustainable opportunity.
EXPLORE OUTREACH →
R
.
Restoration
Give native life a chance.
Science-led monitoring helps us understand how Aruba’s reef ecosystems recover.
EXPLORE RESTORATION →
E
.
Education
Knowledge makes it possible.
Practical training equips local fishers and processors to lead the change.
EXPLORE EDUCATION →
03 / THE THREE-YEAR MASTER PLAN
Start small.
Think island-wide.
A proposed roadmap, not a promise of unmeasured impact. Every step forward is led by evidence and local collaboration.
YEAR 01
Build & validate
Engineer lightweight gear. Select five captains. Test a controlled pilot of four traps per vessel.
YEAR 02
Refine & connect
Improve trap selectivity using pilot data, strengthen restaurant partnerships, and train more fishers.
YEAR 03
Scale responsibly
Expand only where evidence and permissions support it. Build a resilient, locally led lionfish fishery.
Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals 8, 12, and 14: decent work, responsible consumption, and life below water.
04 / OUR OPERATING WATERS
A new depth
of possibility.
Where shallow-water culling ends, deep-water innovation begins. Explore our proposed testing zones around Aruba.
FISHERY OPERATIONS
Oranjestad / hotel shelves
40–120 m
Calmer shelves. Proposed shallow-to-deep comparison zone.
Shallow culling · 0–40 m
Depth testing zones · 40–300 m
Illustrative map—not navigation or live deployment data. Zone boundaries and depths are conceptual. Map illustration © 2026 C.O.R.E.
BUILT WITH ARUBA. FOR ARUBA.
05 / THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION
Our ocean.
Our responsibility.
Lionfish C.O.R.E. Aruba is a nonprofit initiative connecting reef protection with the people who know these waters best.
We bring together local commercial fishers, engineers, marine researchers, educators, and culinary partners. Our focus is simple: small-boat compatible technology that helps an island community protect its reefs and earn a sustainable living.
Dedicated project leadership connects each part of the network. Recurring sponsorship keeps that coordination at the heart of our work.
06 / START A CONVERSATION
There’s a place
for you in C.O.R.E.
Fisher, researcher, restaurant, or reef protector—let’s build something meaningful together.
LOCATION
Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
Hello@ArubaLionFish.org
YOUR NEXT STEP
Let’s connect.
Send a question, partnership idea, or introduction.