Caribbean fishermen were a privileged class within the plantation slaves: they had freedom to roam the seas. Earlier, Island Caribs had fished from dugout canoes with handheld lines made from either <em>pite</em> (pineapple fibres) or <em>mahot</em> (sea hibiscus) attached to hooks fashioned from turtle shell. Caribbean fishermen also used wooden spears, later improved with iron tips, to catch turtles, manatees, rays, and larger fish. But this traditional way of life would soon be under threat.<br><br>In the Caribbean, two simultaneous events have occurred, demanding a new approach to fishing: overfishing of grouper, driven by advances in technology and the needs of a growing population, and the arrival of invasive lionfish. Grouper are an ecologically important species with a slow lifecycle, making them vulnerable to overfishing. Lionfish, on the other hand, are native to the Indo-Pacific, introduced inadvertently via the southeast coast of the United States. They are voracious predators, posing a threat to the entire ocean ecosystems they invade.<br><br>The impact on traditional fishing has been profound. As the lionfish are venomous and previously unknown, the Caribbean fishermen tend to avoid them. The lionfish are also not susceptible to the traditional hook and line.<br><br>In response, a drive is underway to establish channels for commercial fishing of lionfish in the Caribbean, with several well-known restaurateurs listing the fish on the menu. Dive operators are also training local fishermen to hunt this species safely, using a spearing method known as Hawaiian Sling, providing hope for subsistence for the once-privileged Caribbean fisherman.<br>