Lionfish Article

[Drewpy]

On Bonaire, hunting the ocean-killing lionfish - SFGate

Is there really any hope of controlling them...odds seem dismal?

 

[Mike]

Controlling them in recreational dive depths on a finite amount of dive sites - yes.

Eradicating them no. As the article said - a researcher on a research submersible below rec dive limits saw so many lionfish she started crying.

 

[Hintermann]

I am no eco expert and so am only asking. I know that the interloping lionfish in the Caribbean are seen as a major problem and that they might eventually overwhelm the other smaller reef fish. But even if there was no lionfish hunting, is that really likely to happen? Is there a possibility that with time, nature's balancing act will take over and the lionfish will simply become another legitimate resident of the Caribbean Sea?

 

[wwguy]

I guess that depends on your definition of "time". It may happen eventually, but the near-term impact to reef life (already stressed by climate change and pollution) is significant and perhaps irreversible.

I suggest you read this article for more information: NOAA Coral Reef Information System (CoRIS) - Professional Exchanges -The IndoPacific lionfish invasion of the U.S. south Atlantic sea coast and Caribbean Sea

 

[Bas Noij]

There is a facebook group with excellent information on the lionfish situation on Bonaire: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bonairelionfish

The situation on Bonaire seems to be under control in the recreational dive depths. There is a large group of very active local hunters keeping the numbers down continuously.

 

[jimw]

I saw 10 on our 1 week trip in April, 13--about the same as I would anticipate seeing on a weeklong group of dives at home in SE Florida.

 

[Davidccs]

The lion fish has no natural predators, which means nothing will control its Population. There is another species that has that luck and its putting so much stress on its environment that is causing global disruptions and concerns, wanna guess which species?
Well its us, and in 5 thousand years mother nature hasn't found a cure for us.

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---------- Post added August 18th, 2013 at 12:38 AM ----------

At least we are trying to find ways to co-exist with mother nature but I guess we can attribute that to our superior intelligence, the lion fish doesn't have that... maybe in 5 thousand years though!

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[digdug87]

I was with a group that just returned from Bonaire a couple of weeks ago. We saw an average of 4 lion fish per dive. We had several people in the group that had the lion tamer "spears" but could not use them due to a change of regulations on the island. The attitude on the island seemed to be we can sell you dive to hunt lion fish for $50 but other wise you can not hunt them.

 

[SailNaked]

eventually the lion fish will be the only thing for the bigger fish to eat and they will learn to eat them. maybe 10 years maybe 100 years. maybe the lion fish will eat everything and there will be no more fish in the sea. however since there is a balance in the southern ocean I have to think that it will balance in our ocean in time. until then they taste great and are easy to spear. I am hoping that the regulators can be controlled more easily than the lion fish.

 

[Lead_carrier]

......The attitude on the island seemed to be we can sell you dive to hunt lion fish for $50 but other wise you can not hunt them.

I would probably pay the $50 to do a lionfish hunt, but I will not pay the extra $149 for the **** Lionfish Hunter Speciality that was required.