Lionfish Invasion

[Connie]

Lionfish infestation taking over US Atlantic coast

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

Good article! To keep the pop down here in south florida we have these all the time!

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

 

[mainereefer]

we ate some a few weeks ago tasted pretty good! there are also restaraunts who pay for them, catch as many as you can and get pd ( good deal! )
just make sure to have a torch to burn the poison off the fins

 

[Chris Aldrich]

Thanks for sharing this article. It's always great to see more folks getting the word out about this situation. The more people who know and understand, the better.

On a related note, here is our article on the topic if you're interested in further reading: The Anatomy of an Invasion: Lionfish

 

[pam0630]

thats awesome...i did watch a show on tv about the lion fish invasion..they have no known predators so they can reproduce like crazy..
best to fish for them and make some money and protect our oceans......

 

[Connie]

Very good read! Thanks!

Thanks for sharing this article. It's always great to see more folks getting the word out about this situation. The more people who know and understand, the better.

On a related note, here is our article on the topic if you're interested in further reading: The Anatomy of an Invasion: Lionfish

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

I'm in the keys now and have seen quite a few sadly. I've been killing most of them though since ive been spearing!

 

[made2rock]

Friends of mine do this fish ID and fish count down in the Caribbean during the summer

Honduras Activities, Upcoming Events | CoCo View Resort

Scott is a good friend and has been doing this for many years and has made several comments about the impact lionfish are having on the fish population. It is problem and anyone that does dive should join in the effort of getting rid of them.

I heard they taste like chicken

 

[revhtree]

Friends of mine do this fish ID and fish count down in the Caribbean during the summer

Honduras Activities, Upcoming Events | CoCo View Resort

Scott is a good friend and has been doing this for many years and has made several comments about the impact lionfish are having on the fish population. It is problem and anyone that does dive should join in the effort of getting rid of them.

I heard they taste like chicken

Welcome to R2R! Have your friend come and share the efforts here.

 

[SantaMonica]

What is the animal that normal eats lions, that does not seem to be doing so anymore?

 

[mfinn]

What is the animal that normal eats lions, that does not seem to be doing so anymore?

There is no know predator for them in the Atlantic or Caribbean. They were accidentally introduced and have been spreading for years.

 

[Chris Aldrich]

What is the animal that normal eats lions, that does not seem to be doing so anymore?

As mfinn mentioned, since Pterios lionfish are invasive, they have no natural predators. Even in their native range of the Indo-Pacific, they have few known predators. Eels and large groupers will eat them, but I think cannibalism likely takes a higher toll than those do. Sadly large adults can live practically without predation, but the difference in their native range is reef fish see them as predators and avoid them. That's the biggest problem in the Atlantic, Bahamas, and Caribbean is reef fish don't see them as a threat. It probably goes something like this...
Fish 1: Hey, man...check out this groovy fish over here.
Fish 2: Dude, I'm really trippin'.
Fish 2: Arlo? Man, you there?
Lionfish: [gulp] Mmmmmm. Always love scarfing down hippy fish.

Luckily larger predators (sharks, eels, and groupers) are being "taught" to see them as food in various locales throughout the Atlantic. To what degree they accept depends on where you are. While in South Andros, Bahamas diving we would spear a half dozen lionfish on a dive and no sharks were to be seen. But as soon as you spear a grouper for dinner, guess who shows up?!

Now I just returned from a dive trip in Grand Turk, TCI and witnessed another interesting phenomenon. Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) have recognized divers as the folks who "kill those weird looking fish for us to eat." So it's not uncommon to be escorted on your dives by one or two of them. In the video I shot below, the Nassau seemingly "pointed" out a lionfish tucked way up under this overhang (as we completely missed it). After spearing the lionfish, the Nassau didn't even wait for it to be removed from the spear before scarfing it down. So, he could have easily eaten the lionfish himself, but wanted it speared first. A step in the right direction because the grouper wanted to eat, but still some work to do before they feed on them without human intervention.

[video=youtube;ml6q2UKn7eI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml6q2UKn7eI[/video]

There are some good things happening to control the invasion. I wrote a piece on this topic not too long ago. You can check it out here: Lionfish Invasion: An Update on Successes

 

[Fincasters]

[video=youtube_share;f-WwpISCFAk]http://youtu.be/f-WwpISCFAk[/video]

Hi All -- thought you might find my video of interest. We dive, spear and eat a lionfish in the Keys.

 

[tyler1503]

I love Lionfish. Its sad to see so many people hate them just because a few careless people introduced them to a new environment where they thrive.
Imagine if they were kittens being shot, burnt, cut open and displayed for all to buy and eat for dinner. A horrible image, but that's what people are doing to Lionfish. It would be different if they were commercially fished, as it's not quite as brutal as a cash prize to those who are good killers. Just because they thrive doesn't mean they deserve to die.
And I know the old argument supporting the killing "they're eating other fish!" But seriously, this would happen one way or another. There's an old saying "you can't create a monster, then complain when he steps on a few buildings".
I understand the need to lower the numbers of Lionfish in these areas, but it's one thing to believe it's right to do so, another thing to enjoy doing so.

 

[mfinn]

I love Lionfish. Its sad to see so many people hate them just because a few careless people introduced them to a new environment where they thrive.
Imagine if they were kittens being shot, burnt, cut open and displayed for all to buy and eat for dinner. A horrible image, but that's what people are doing to Lionfish. It would be different if they were commercially fished, as it's not quite as brutal as a cash prize to those who are good killers. Just because they thrive doesn't mean they deserve to die.
And I know the old argument supporting the killing "they're eating other fish!" But seriously, this would happen one way or another. There's an old saying "you can't create a monster, then complain when he steps on a few buildings".
I understand the need to lower the numbers of Lionfish in these areas, but it's one thing to believe it's right to do so, another thing to enjoy doing so.

Really?

Kittens?

 

[Bad Company]

Soft fuzzy playful kittens?

 

[mainereefer]

I love Lionfish. Its sad to see so many people hate them just because a few careless people introduced them to a new environment where they thrive.
Imagine if they were kittens being shot, burnt, cut open and displayed for all to buy and eat for dinner. A horrible image, but that's what people are doing to Lionfish. It would be different if they were commercially fished, as it's not quite as brutal as a cash prize to those who are good killers. Just because they thrive doesn't mean they deserve to die.
And I know the old argument supporting the killing "they're eating other fish!" But seriously, this would happen one way or another. There's an old saying "you can't create a monster, then complain when he steps on a few buildings".
I understand the need to lower the numbers of Lionfish in these areas, but it's one thing to believe it's right to do so, another thing to enjoy doing so.

kitten is a delicacy in some parts of the world, but dog is cheaper

 

[made2rock]

I love Lionfish. Its sad to see so many people hate them just because a few careless people introduced them to a new environment where they thrive.
Imagine if they were kittens being shot, burnt, cut open and displayed for all to buy and eat for dinner. A horrible image, but that's what people are doing to Lionfish. It would be different if they were commercially fished, as it's not quite as brutal as a cash prize to those who are good killers. Just because they thrive doesn't mean they deserve to die.
And I know the old argument supporting the killing "they're eating other fish!" But seriously, this would happen one way or another. There's an old saying "you can't create a monster, then complain when he steps on a few buildings".
I understand the need to lower the numbers of Lionfish in these areas, but it's one thing to believe it's right to do so, another thing to enjoy doing so.

The point you are missing is in gulf and Atlantic the lionfish is not being see my native fish as a predator. A friend of mine has been doing fish counts in the gulf for YEARS and he has commented how the lionfish has had a major impact on the fish populations. I think you find no one has an issue with the lionfish in the Pacific or Indian ocean.

 

[tyler1503]

Yes people, kittens! Soft cuddly fuzzy wuzzy kittens. As adorable as they are, here in country Australia they ARE a problem. They are killing livestock and native animals just like the Lionfish is. Imagine a fox, but smaller.
While I was living in the city stray cats weren't a problem of course, just like people living along the Pacific Ocean typically don't have an issue with Lionfish. Get outside that area and it's a completely different story. Cats are killing livestock like lambs, chickens and even on occasion calves. They're incredibly dangerous to native birds, marsupials, native vermin and the like. Just like lions are killing fish and inverts. It's a sound analogy.
I guess the difference is cats are cute and lions are just fish and people seem to care less about fish (I mean that as a generalisation, it's not something I would typically say on a reefing forum lol). I believe one life should not be seen as less important than another simply because it's doing what nature intended.
Anyway, this isn't about cats lol. I believe commercial fishing is a far more valid way of reducing numbers of wild Lionfish. Now I don't know anything about commercial fisheries, how they operate or what the laws are regarding this sort of thing, so maybe it isn't viable. But I do think it's a much more humane way of lowering number as opposed to what's happening now.
No one has to agree with me on that, but it's what I believe.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Commercial fishing isn't feasible, Tyler. Lions would have to be individually caught and that would never provide a living for the fisherman. Even if you can turn a big profit for the lions, they would have to really look into how this would impact fishing of other native species. Everything somehow affects another. My family are fisherman and I've been involved in every step, up until it was sold at the wharf. Fish die nasty deaths, no matter what the mode may be. Cod was our staple and when those big ole nets were pulled in, the fish on the bottom would have their eyes popped out from the pressure of their mates above them. Not all fall out of the netting and would wrap around these wheels.... I won't go on. It's a dirty business, but someone's gotta do it.

I do see your point very plain, however, as this is a website about pets. Conversations do tend to be unbalanced about lions and people get all riled up and angry and forget that. I'm not sure why people are lashing out at anyone who whispers the word lionfish. As educated hobbyists, we have to make sure we're engaged in educated booing. Right now there are CRAZY comments out there. And when corrected, they STILL don't believe it. Some of these fish are 20 years old, if you didn't feel something for them, there's something wrong with you. LOL! They have more personality and girth, than a Chihuahua. It's natural to be bothered by the conversation too, it can be quite distasteful.

Side not: Feral cats are a HUGE problem here too, but most people don't know anything about it. Hypocrisy at it's finest? You betcha. Imagine if we were to ban house cats in every state the ferals were present. People would go snakey and start screaming foul.