Should non-native lionfish be eliminated?

[Teamcasa]

There always seems to be some sort of unintended consequence for our actions. If we kill or try too, something else will be affected, we just don’t know what yet. Let them go and something else will go of the chart, we just don’t know what.

Eradicating any non-native species will have consequences, we don’t know what that consequence entails.

 

[Wayward Son]

I wouldn't say it's "pointless". From what I've read, they're very tasty.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

..... Some say polar bears are dying out. Maybe the lionfish is taking their place. One dies out another begins. .

Let me guess... You ain't voting for Obama are you?

 

[wardric]

I don't know that it's useless just yet. Probably a big challenge but give some hunters the go ahead with open season and you might be surprised.

I wonder what the best way to eliminate them would be?

clubbing them would be fun

 

[wardric]

Some years ago, in my city, a university student was making a study on the black slug (Arion Ater) so he imported a couple of those slugs from another country. When his research was over, that dumb animal lover could not decide himself to just kill them so he had the good idea to release them in the woods close to the university. With no predators, those giants (up to 8 inches long) reproduced and eliminated all the other kind of slugs who could not compete so now, we're stuck with those ugly bastids.

If that biology student wouldn't have believed things like "it's just a big planet", he wouldn't have caused the extinction of our indigenous slugs...

So I say, kill all the non-native lionfishes you can now, when it may still be time (like eradicating ragweed). It's worth trying at least.

 

[vladimir]

When a species is threatened, we get regulations against hunting them. Presumably the hunting has an effect. It's hard to see any downside to hunting non-native species. If you enjoy hunting, why not spear some lionfish?

 

[outlawaggie]

Hunting them is POINTLESS! In this case, nature will balance itself as it always does and remember people - it really is just one big ocean.

With all due respect this mentality is exactly how we get ourselves into these situations....see the slug example above. If Nature, God, Allah, Buddah or whoever had intended for lionfish to be in the Atlantic he would have put them there. Most likely he would have also placed a few natural predators in too. Nature will not take its course because WE have already messed with Mother Nature. Granted that a strong grouper population may help to control the lionfish but how much damage do we allow the lionfish to do to reef fish populations in the interim. Bear in mind that the Nile perched eradicated over 200 species of fish in Lake Victoria.

Also, there is a contradiction in the "don't kill them" logic. That logic says it is OK for grouper to wipe out the lionfish but man can't help. There is no difference. In the natural balance of nature I would agree that man changes the balance of nature but in ANY case where we are dealing with an invasive species introduced by man nature has already been upset and MAN has the duty to try to reset the balance. If the grouper can kill the lionfish then I think man should do all it can to help the grouper out.

We should also do it quickly before the only fish left to see on the reefs of the Caribbean are lionfish. But don't take my word for it read this article and hear it from the experts.

Here are two excerts from the article linked below.
"New studies headed by Mark Hixon of Oregon State University are about to be published in a peer-reviewed science journal found one lionfish can deplete 79 percent of a reef in just five weeks. That means coral ecology dies and algae takes over."

"You know the potential is there for it to be devastating," said Tom Jackson with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Deadly lionfish invade Florida waters? : Fishing & Boating : TCPalm

Just my two cents....

By the way...as with most non-native species there are no fish and wildlife regulations that apply to lionfish, unless they are in a sanctuary or park where everything in the park is protected. As such you can spear, kill, club or otherwise all you want.

 

[PCBCaptChris]

The man concern I'd have would be removing their bodies from the poke pole... I guess I could use a knife...

 

[trigfunctions]

We dove off Nassau a few months ago and saw at least ten lionfish on one dive. Seems to me, if the US and Bahamian government gave even the smallest incentive, like $5 a fish, the population could be reduced dramatically very quickly.

 

[wardric]

I would add another example we're so used to now that we sometime forget aboot it here in the northeast: the zebra mussels. In the great lakes, lake Champlain, St Lawrence river and many other lakes, it is a big problem now. Unfortunately, these small mollusks cant be hunted. I know the water has never been so clear in the lakes but seeing a wreck covered with an inch of mussels is not the same as seeing wood and metal.