Lionfish in the Caribbean

[Moldsen]

This invasive, non-native species is spreading through the Caribbean. They have no natural enemies here. They are said to be able to eat four times their weight each day. Native reef species don't recognize them as predators so they will swim right up to the lionfish and are quickly eaten. I saw a juvenile off Grand Cayman in February so they are reproducing. They need to be killed or reported to authorities so the authorities can kill them.

Anybody seeing them anywhere else?

 

[Damselfish]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/264674-lionfish-okay-funny.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cayman-islands/275495-lionfish.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/270045-lionfish-cozumel.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/278772-lionfish-caught-molasses-reef.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bay-islands/274164-bay-islands-has-new-invasive-species.html

 

[billsreef]

Juveniles are commonly found on Long Island's south shore during the summer and early fall, along with the normal tropicals that come up on the Gulf Stream. The juveniles have been recorded as far north as Rhode Island. Adults are a reported to be a common a sight on the shipwrecks off North Carolina. They have also become rather common place in the Bahama's

 

[Ferg822]

I spotted one just today in West Caicos (it was an adult). I was talking to the DM about them and he said people sometimes come on charters specifically to get rid of them.

 

[dpaustex]

I was diving on Grand Cayman this week, and the operator was saying that they're having a problem with them there, too. Don't know if anyone has seen one eat, but they "strike" when eating. Worse, they are voracious eaters. The DM on the boat say they catch them in a mask box and remove them. They are trying to get rid of as many of them as possible. Be sure to let you boat operator know if you see one.

 

[diveonthefive]

They are present off of North Carolina as juvenile and adults. Discovery Diving is holding the 1st Annual Cape Lookout Lionfish Rodeo / Round Up on May 17 - 19. The purpose is to help control the population by removing the lionfish. After NOAA has recorded the information about the lionfish, they will cooked for dinner on the 19th. Hopefully, this will be done once a month during the dive season.

 

[Nemrod]

Yep.

Maybe a bounty or discounts for everyone killed. Some type of crushing gripper device that would allow a diver to grab them and kill them and then release for the next.

N

 

[diveonthefive]

I've designed a safety shield that is used to remove the lionfish from a pole spear without touching the lionfish.

 

[Gen San Chris]

I am saying nothing on this subject as many people already know what my thinking is!!

 

[ReefObsessed]

March 6-16, 2009 I took a Tropical Marine Ecology class in San Salvador, Bahamas.

Around the island, we found the pests at Dump Reef, Snapshot Reef, Telephone Reef, Pigeon Creek, and Graham's Harbor. There was an offshore reef from Graham's Harbor where classmates found several. This site was particularly pristine, with large healthy colonies of Acropora palmata, Acropora cervicornis, and Montastrea annularis, and various Diploriaspecies.

The species in question is puzzling as it's non-native and couldn't be found in the Reef Books of the Caribbean and Florida waters.

My classmates were collecting several fish to analyze gut contents with DNA extraction, amplification, and replication. My classmates are in the process of submitting and publishing a paper on their research. I'll post further details, and pics.

Coral reefs need to be protected, and within my lifetime I'll find a way to save them from extinction :lifesaver:

-M