Lionfish rapidly spreading

[votek]

http://1.usa.gov/gFuY7h

From the USGS:

Gainesville, Fla. -- The rapid spread of lionfishes along the U.S. eastern seaboard, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean is the first documented case of a non-native marine fish establishing a self-sustaining population in the region, according to recent U.S. Geological Survey studies.
"œNothing like this has been seen before in these waters," said Dr. Pam Schofield, a biologist with the USGS Southeast Ecological Science Center here. "œWe've observed sightings of numerous non-native species, but the extent and speed with which lionfish have spread has been unprecedented; lionfishes pretty much blanketed the Caribbean in three short years."

More than 30 species of non-native marine fishes have been sighted off the coast of Florida alone, but until now none of these have demonstrated the ability to survive, reproduce, and spread successfully. Although lionfishes originally came from the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, there are now self-sustaining populations spreading along the western Atlantic coast of the U.S. and throughout the Caribbean.

It is not yet clear exactly how the new invasive species will affect reefs in this part of the world. Foremost on the minds of scientists is the lionfishes' predatory behavior, which may negatively impact native species in the newly invaded ecosystems. They have already been observed preying on and competing with a wide range of native species.

Invasive lionfishes were first reported off Florida's Atlantic coast in the mid-1980s, but did not become numerous in the region until 2000. Since then, the lionfish population has rapidly spread north through the Atlantic Ocean and south throughout most of the Caribbean. The spreading population is now working its way around the Gulf of Mexico.

Schofield spent years compiling and verifying sightings of lionfishes, reaching out to local experts such as biologists, museum curators, natural resource managers, divemasters and citizens groups to collect detailed records of specimen collections and sightings throughout the region. The records were compiled in the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database and used to map the fishes' spread.

No one knows for sure exactly how the predecessors of the current population first made it into the Atlantic and Caribbean, but Schofield believes the invasion serves as a warning of the dangers posed by introductions of non-native fishes into an ecosystem.

"œThis invasion may constitute a harbinger of the emerging threat of non-native marine fishes to coastal systems," Schofield said.

In the Florida Keys, Schofield and her team are working closely with partners from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in Beaufort, North Carolina and Reef Environmental Education Foundation in Key Largo, Florida to analyze lionfish diets, an important first step in understanding their impact on reef ecosystems.

Eradication of lionfishes is probably not possible, admits Schofield. Yet, local control efforts may be able to keep the population tamped down, releasing pressure on the native ecosystem. Many Caribbean countries such as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands have begun lionfish control programs. In the U.S., REEF held a series of lionfish derbies in the Florida Keys that resulted in more than 600 lionfishes being removed from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Schofield's most recent paper, "œUpdate on geographic spread of invasive lionfishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico," was published in the Dec. 2010 issue of Aquatic Invasions; it updates a 2009 article published in the same journal. For more information on lionfish, see the USGS Lionfish Factsheet.

Background on lionfish biology and ecology is also available on NOAA's Lionfish Website. Information on REEF's lionfish programs is available at their website.

 

[diverdick]

I have personally seen the Black Voliton Lionfish in Grand Cayman, Jamaica & St Croix - all since 2000. This is a big deal since these are predator fish. I have seen the programs in Grand Cayman where the take them out (kill) to try to head off the inevitable. They look great in the wild, just not the Caribe!

 

[GMaquarium]

My father saw a bunch in Jamaica last year and told me he thinks some of the high traffic resort areas like them around. Its something cool to point to while taking tourists on a snorkeling trip.

The funny thing to me is that ornamental fish importers are still bringing in lions from Pacific. I have been asking about this. Why is the aquarium industry not utilizing lions collected close by, who are in large numbers and are unwanted.

I think introducing lions as a mass human consumption type fish is a good move. Lionfish sticks may catch on at our school cafeterias and the problem solved. Oh wait... we have to catch them all first.

 

[votek]

My father saw a bunch in Jamaica last year and told me he thinks some of the high traffic resort areas like them around. Its something cool to point to while taking tourists on a snorkeling trip.

The funny thing to me is that ornamental fish importers are still bringing in lions from Pacific. I have been asking about this. Why is the aquarium industry not utilizing lions collected close by, who are in large numbers and are unwanted.

I think introducing lions as a mass human consumption type fish is a good move. Lionfish sticks may catch on at our school cafeterias and the problem solved. Oh wait... we have to catch them all first.

Lionfish don't have very much meat on them and I'm not sure they would taste so great regardless :spin2:

 

[ORayRay]

Lionfish don't have very much meat on them and I'm not sure they would taste so great regardless :spin2:

They eat them, there are websites dedicated to lion fish recipes, there suppose to taste alright too.. I would try it

 

[tent boy]

Just got back from Jamaica last night. We were there for almost a week. Didn't see any where we were. Thankfully. Maybe we just got lucky.

 

[Randrew215]

When I was in Florida earlier this month, the guy working the dive shop said that he saw 3 in 2008, and that now he averages seeing one each dive. Crazy population hike.