Lyonfish Reef
16.3511°N 86.5442°W · reef
Lyonfish Reef is a reef dive site in Roatán, Caribbean.
Overview
Lyonfish Reef is a Roatan Marine Park mooring site along the barrier reef east of Sandy Bay. The name references the lionfish — an invasive Indo-Pacific species that has colonized Caribbean reefs since the early 2000s. Roatan dive operators actively manage lionfish populations through organized removal dives, and this site may serve as one such management area. Beyond the lionfish context, the reef features healthy coral formations with the diverse tropical marine life typical of Roatan’s south coast. Visibility ranges 20-40 meters.
Site Information
- Location: Roatán, Caribbean
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 15 meters
Dive Profile
The site offers a gentle reef terrain suitable for relaxed exploration. Begin your dive along the reef top and navigate through coral formations and sandy patches. The most abundant marine life is typically found between 5-18 meters. Take your time to explore cleaning stations and look for camouflaged creatures in the sand.
Photography
The colorful reef structures offer excellent macro photography opportunities. Look for small critters hiding among coral heads and anemones. Wide-angle shots work well to capture the vibrant reef landscape and schooling fish.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
532 verified species observations (255 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1911 and 2023, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Pterois · lionfish
- Gambusia nicaraguensis
- Palatogobius grandoculus
- Poecilia orri
- Lipogramma evides · banded basslet
- Gnatholepis thompsoni · goldspot goby
- Epigonidae
- Gobiomorus dormitor
- Phaeoptyx
- Gerres cinereus
- Mugil curema
- Lutjanus apodus
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
Conditions change with the tide and the season. If you have dived this site, share what it was actually like — date, visibility, current, and what you saw. Real, recent reports from divers are exactly what this guide is built to collect.
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