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Dominica Watersports Association (DWA)
Roseau
info@dominicawatersports.com
dominicawatersports.com
Dive Fest on Facebook Dive Fest
The Dive Fest events are all sponsored and staffed by volunteers, many of whom have worked all week and turn up to ensure as many as possible get the opportunity to try the event at hand. All monies raised go towards promoting the island at trade shows.

Photos by Images Dominica
Dominica's Dive Fest is the longest running event of its kind in the region and now copied and tried elsewhere—a sincere form of flattery. Every year something new is tried or an old favourite resurrected for a last lap. Dive Fest is the start of summer on Dominica. Monies raised during the event are spent at trade shows in the US and Europe, and in advertising campaigns in various publications. Dive Fest promotes the Dominica Watersports Association and its product, dive tourism, and by extension, Dominica.

Happy Hour
This event Dive Fest opener is a social gathering that brings folks all walks together for an evening of entertainment and libation. It's great for meeting the visiting VIPs, the local dive folk as well as the event organisers. The Dive Fest Happy Hour sets the buzz for the following week of activities. Always well-attended and is a good way to start off Dive Fest.
Discover Scuba
Dive Fest was created for two primary reasons, one being to educate and inform locals about the wonders of marine life through an opportunity for firsthand experience. The second was to show that scuba diving is a viable profession. Over 95% of our dive staff in the DWA are local Dominicans who in most cases had their first experience of scuba as a school child at Dive Fest.
The DWA hosts three events during Dive Fest week, giving anyone interested the chance to try scuba diving. Discover Scuba is free to anyone who wishes to try. Discover ScubaThe second, optional part, is the Beginner Dive, held on the house reef adjacent to all the venues.

Kubuli Canoe Races
Kubuli Canoe Races
Teams of 4 and a traditional dug out fishing canoe. Crowds descend upon Soufriere for this. Corporate teams race for bragging rights, private teams for kudos. The event kicks off at 2pm and finishes at or around sunset, followed by the beach jam.

Whale watch
Dominica is home to a resident population of Sperm whales, the largest toothed creature on earth. They are the least studied whale species as they can spend up to 50 out of every 60 minutes at depths of 3km feeding. This is a great opportunity to go out on a discounted whale watch to see them and other marine mammals off the coast. Tickets are limited for the trips.

Lionfish
This amazingly beautiful creature, a native of the Indian and tropical Pacific oceans, is actually a real threat. In the past decade the Lionfish has gained a foothold in Caribbean waters, becoming the first invasive species to settle and reproduce to almost epidemic proportions.

Lionfish are voracious predators, eating anything smaller than them, and, with no natural enemies in the Caribbean, they are really thriving. They have spread from the Bahamas through the northern Caribbean along Mexico and Honduras to the southern Caribbean.

Fishermen are requested to kill on sight, or call in reports from around the coast. As soon as they are notified, Fisheries staff or DWA personnel will go out to catch or kill any reported fish. We may not win the war, but we can certainly take on and win the small battles.

The Lionfish The red lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) is a native of the Indo Pacific, (South Pacific and Indian Oceans) up to and including the Suez and Northern Red Sea in Egypt

Invasion
Lionfish have invaded the waters from North Carolina in the US to South America including the Gulf of Mexico.
Lionfish have settled throughout most of the Caribbean in less than 3 years (first sighted outside of the Bahamas, 2007)

Lionfish have already decimated the reefs in Florida and the Bahamas, in some cases eating up to 70% of local reef fish. This is a highly 70%destructive fish to our fishery.
Lionfish are said to reach up to 45cm in the Caribbean, by which time they are capable of eating whatever they want. A 20cm fish was found to have an 8cm fish in its stomach
F A S T   F A C T S
    L i o n f i s h
  • Other names: turkey fish, dragon fish & scorpion fish
  • It is a carnivore
  • Average life span in the wild is up to 15 years
  • Hunting habit: often spread its pectoral fins and herd small fish into a confined space where it can more easily swallow them
  • A mature female releases a pair of egg balls about 5 times each month year-round in the Caribbean, it is believed
A lionfish sting is extremely painful to humans and can cause nausea and breathing difficulties, but is rarely fatal.
Lionfish The dorsal, and pectoral spines all carry a venom which is protein-based. Once injected, it can be rendered harmless by using hot water.
Armed with several venomous spines the lionfish is a highly palatable fish. Its flesh is not toxic. Once all fins are cut off the fish is rendered harmless.