Atlantic Ocean Temperature Rise Could Favor Range Expansion of Invasive Lionfish and

[ffdiver]

Fair enough. Thank you for your response.

 

[AfterDark]

This year after 30+years, I made contact with my very 1st dive buddy from 1968-1973. In short the guy has a 44' catamaran that he intends to use to kill Lionfish in the Keys this winter. He's going to try to get "sanctioned" by the REEF org and take as many divers as he can out to kill lionfish. He has invited me!!! Now get this, if he's "sanctioned" by the REEF org we might be able to write off some or all of the expense! It's almost like getting paid to kill Lionfish!

 

[Oldbear]

This year after 30+years, I made contact with my very 1st dive buddy from 1968-1973. In short the guy has a 44' catamaran that he intends to use to kill Lionfish in the Keys this winter. He's going to try to get "sanctioned" by the REEF org and take as many divers as he can out to kill lionfish. He has invited me!!! Now get this, if he's "sanctioned" by the REEF org we might be able to write off some or all of the expense! It's almost like getting paid to kill Lionfish!

I say go for it.

The only good lionfish is a ... entrée with a side of cole slaw & fries

 

[AfterDark]

I say go for it.

The only good lionfish is a ... entrée with a side of cole slaw & fries

It's only a matter of time and money. A no wouldn't even enter my mind however, if the money isn't there or my wife or I can't get the time off from work then no Lionfish culling for me.

 

[Oldbear]

The weird thing is here in my part of the Marshall Islands where lionfish are indigenous I cannot find one. I heard from a friend that made 500+ dives here last year he only saw 1.

 

[agilis]

The weird thing is here in my part of the Marshall Islands where lionfish are indigenous I cannot find one. I heard from a friend that made 500+ dives here last year he only saw 1.

It's like rabbits in Australia. A plague. An introduced species that did not evolve along with the native creatures and consequently has none of the natural population limitations that developed over countless millenia as native species jointly established the usual natural balance and mutual dependence systems that characterize a healthy ecosystem.

Lionfishes were introduced to Florida waters by careless marine aquarists only a few decades ago, and the creatures were able to thrive to an astonishing extent, unmatched by other introduced species, spreading across the Caribbean and Central America and up the US coast as far as the Carolinas, with temporary summer range extensions into New England. In some places they are the most numerous fish at certain depths. The damage they cause to native fish populations, especially to reef fishes, is enormous, and getting steadily worse.

Lots of exotic fishes, birds, and reptiles are dumped by idiotic people in Florida. Pythons are creating great damage in South Florida, and are so numerous it is now conceded that they will never be eradicated. I visit Florida frequently, and have seen many species of exotic parrots in large flocks, Iguanas, Tegus, and Asian freshwater fishes in canals and lakes. I've seen big Pacific Angelfish a couple of times on Ft Lauderdale reefs.

Human stupidity is limitless and inescapable.

 

[oceancat]

I just moved back to New England from NC and I can say I personally saw lionfish off of the Morehead City, NC dives (Papoose, Neaco) in the dead of winter. The gulf stream waters, as was mentioned cool down, but are not COLD like NE. What I noticed in the 4 years I was in NC was how large the lionfish are getting and how many you see on the deeper wrecks (deeper rec depths, I am not a technical diver). I don' t recall ever seeing them on the more inshore wrecks but the offshore wrecks almost always had them.