Lionfish

[medtran49]

Many areas affected by the lionfish invasion have derbies throughout the year. More info Lionfish Research Program | Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) .

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I saw them in the fresh (never frozen) fish case at Wegman's last Friday. I just hope they don't get carried away and over fish them so they end up on the endangered species list. They may be voracious predators, they are beautiful fish. We've already decimated the shark population before we realized they really are a beneficial species.

 

[medtran49]

I saw them in the fresh (never frozen) fish case at Wegman's last Friday. I just hope they don't get carried away and over fish them so they end up on the endangered species list. They may be voracious predators, they are beautiful fish. We've already decimated the shark population before we realized they really are a beneficial species.

They are an invasive species in the Atlantic and Gulf, and have no natural predators in these areas. They are eating the young of native fish and endangering the natives. Frankly, I hope they are over-fished in the Atlantic and Gulf, preferably to the point of disappearing.

They are not a commercially viable fish even in their native environment, as they are a fish that must be speared or hand netted, or sucked into a collection tube if collecting for an aquarium. Considering that a female fish can lay up to 2 million eggs in a lifetime, 10,000-12,000 at a batch, with no natural predators, we have a problem where there are no native predators of lionfish.

 

[CraigC]

I saw them in the fresh (never frozen) fish case at Wegman's last Friday. I just hope they don't get carried away and over fish them so they end up on the endangered species list. They may be voracious predators, they are beautiful fish. We've already decimated the shark population before we realized they really are a beneficial species.

They need to be wiped out where they don't belong! They are an invasive species in the Atlantic and Caribbean. They may create "Endangered Species" in populations of native species.

 

[Dawgluver]

They need to be wiped out where they don't belong! They are an invasive species in the Atlantic and Caribbean. They may create "Endangered Species" in populations of native species.

Exactly. The natives like groupers and moray eels have no idea what to make of lionfish, and don't eat them, all the while the lionfish are gobbling up every native baby fish in sight.

I will continue to eat my weight in lionfish every chance I can get. Hopefully this terrible pest will be eradicated from the Caribbean in my lifetime.

 

[GotGarlic]

It looks like Whole Foods will be offering it in more stores this year, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program lists it as a Best Choice because it's so invasive. Good news

There's a cool infographic on them, too

http://californiadiver.com/coming-soon-to-your-local-whole-foods-market-lionfish-0414/

 

[Dawgluver]

It looks like Whole Foods will be offering it in more stores this year, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program lists it as a Best Choice because it's so invasive. Good news

There's a cool infographic on them, too

http://californiadiver.com/coming-soon-to-your-local-whole-foods-market-lionfish-0414/

Yay! This is exciting!

I'm sending your link to my brother. He has a nearby Whole Foods.

 

[RPCookin]

Exactly. The natives like groupers and moray eels have no idea what to make of lionfish, and don't eat them, all the while the lionfish are gobbling up every native baby fish in sight.

I will continue to eat my weight in lionfish every chance I can get. Hopefully this terrible pest will be eradicated from the Caribbean in my lifetime.

Actually some grouper species have been observed eating small lionfish. I don't think that it's enough to keep them controlled though. It takes a while for the native species to adapt to such a "prickly" diet.

 

[Dawgluver]

Actually some grouper species have been observed eating small lionfish. I don't think that it's enough to keep them controlled though. It takes a while for the native species to adapt to such a "prickly" diet.

Some of the spearfishers are trying to teach the local fish to eat them. They spear the lionfish, then give them to the groupers and morays to eat.

 

[medtran49]

Actually some grouper species have been observed eating small lionfish. I don't think that it's enough to keep them controlled though. It takes a while for the native species to adapt to such a "prickly" diet.

It's also because some divers have been feeding the grouper, eels and cudas the speared lionfish. That's one of the warnings that are given on the round-ups because apparently some of the sealife are getting pretty aggressive toward divers because they expect "hand-outs."

I'd imagine digesting them is pretty much like with reptiles that are fed rodents with claws, birds with beaks, claws, feathers, as long as it goes in head first, that's great, everything kind of slides along. If it goes in backwards (butt in first), you have a potentially big problem if a spine, beak, claw gets stuck in/punctures the intestine.

 

[expatgirl]

if the lionfish start to seriously take out the grouper I'm turning into the "Lion-Nater"........there is no better tasting fish than the grouper.......and they're BIG......we can't let this happen........

 

[Dawgluver]

It's also because some divers have been feeding the grouper, eels and cudas the speared lionfish. That's one of the warnings that are given on the round-ups because apparently some of the sealife are getting pretty aggressive toward divers because they expect "hand-outs."

I'd imagine digesting them is pretty much like with reptiles that are fed rodents with claws, birds with beaks, claws, feathers, as long as it goes in head first, that's great, everything kind of slides along. If it goes in backwards (butt in first), you have a potentially big problem if a spine, beak, claw gets stuck in/punctures the intestine.

Indeed. I despise it when divemasters and snorkel guides, along with ill-informed tourists, feed the local fish. It happens all over. The fish will actually attack and nip you when you don't have a handout they're expecting.

 

[CraigC]

Indeed. I despise it when divemasters and snorkel guides, along with ill-informed tourists, feed the local fish. It happens all over. The fish will actually attack and nip you when you don't have a handout they're expecting.

Now jump that up to idiots that do shark feeding trips. How about those that allow alligator feeding, um cough, um Disney World, um cough.