With the World Cup dominating our televisions, La Herradura’s beach near Chamboa de Vincinte saw some action of its own, as a growing crowd of onlooker got to witness some fast fingered, Scorpionfish surgery as three members from Asociación Amigos del Mar Costa Tropical, worked hard and fast to free the suffocating animal on Saturday the 14th, July 2014.

The organisation’s founder Anne Zipse was taking a swim and discovered the entangled creature; upon seeing the Black Scorpionfish all caught-up in netting, she quickly returned to shore to get a knife, a stick and a torch, to arm herself in an attempt to bring the creature back to shore.

Awaiting on the beach for her with a bucket, were two of her fellow members, equipped with a bucket, knives and a pair of scissors.

Filled with salt water, the bucket was used to contain the fish as the trio began their efforts to free the marine animal, as a crowd gathered around them. Working together, Anne took a step back as she let her local diver companions commenced the intricate work.

Greatly entangled the fish had great difficulty moving and breathing, but working with care not to cut the Scorpionfish’s fins, or get impaled by its poisonous spines, the two divers were able to cut each and every line trapping the fish.

The crowd cheered and high-fived the members of Amigos del Mar, as the animal sprang back to life, swimming with ease inside the bucket, now free of its bindings.

Anne released the lucky Scorpeana back into the water, where, within seconds, the animal related to the Stonefish, was able to return back to its life, scoring Marine Conservation a win.

By J.H. Longman
La Herradura