Lionfish devastate Florida's native shoals

Times Online ^ | 20 Oct 2008 | Jacqui Goddard

[BGHater]

When Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992, no one gave much thought to the six exotic lionfish that spilt into Biscayne Bay as the storm smashed their Miami waterfront aquarium.

Sixteen years later, thousands of the fish are wreaking havoc off America's east coast, leading a potentially catastrophic marine invasion.

The highly poisonous hunter-killer, which is normally found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, is the first non-native fish to establish itself in the Atlantic, where it is eating its way through other species faster than they can breed.

“They are eating almost anything that fits in their mouths,” said Lad Akins, director of special projects for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (Reef). There could be, he added, “a severe impact across our entire marine ecosystem”.

With its needle-sharp spines and red and white stripes, the lionfish's hunting prowess is enhanced by the fact that other fish find them so baffling. “They kind of resemble a big clump of seaweed. Native fish don't see them as predators, or even as other fish,” said Mark Hixon, a coral reef ecology expert at Oregon State University. “That allows them to approach other fish and just slurp them up.”

The Hurricane Andrew Six are believed to be among several of the lionfish army's founding fathers. Private aquarium owners may have also dumped lionfish in the sea over the years, compounding their spread along the eastern seaboard and into the Caribbean. Studies by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that numbers in some areas have risen from 22 per hectare (12,000 sq yards) in 2004 to 200 per hectare in 2008.

Marine experts hope to find a predator to control the Lionfish

[BGHater]

Jeeze, giant pythons and Iguanas on land, and now lionfish. Crazy.

[KarlInOhio]

Almost as bad for native Florida life as New Yorkers. :-)

[Clemenza]

One of the more interesting byproducts of Hurricane Andrew was the escape of parrots and toucans from Parrot Jungle. I used to see them all the time on when walking around South Miami and Coconut Grove.

[Clemenza]

Almost as bad for native Florida life as New Yorkers. :-)

LOL. My parents have been in Boca Raton since 1991.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

With its needle-sharp spines and red and white stripes, the lionfish's hunting prowess is enhanced by the fact that other fish find them so baffling.

hmmmmm - how do they know the fish are baffled - did they ask the fish or sumpin?

[Mojave]

Tempura Lion Fish

Lionfish meat

Ginger

Garlic

Mirin

Salt

Rice vinegar

Favorite tempura batter

Prepare the fish by lightly washing and patting dry.

Prepare the marinade which includes a mixture of fresh ginger, garlic, mirin, salt and rice vinegar.

Marinate as per your time allowance but up to 1 day

Make tempura batter (as per your favorite recipe)

Heat oil.

Dredge fillet in flour and dip in batter.

Fry until lightly golden. Serve with favorite oriental sauce.

http://www.thenassauguardian.com/social_community/292003895459034.php

[JLS]

Sounds like natural selection to me. It is irrelevant what kind of accident got them from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It is just nature at work.

[eureka!]

LOL.

[Red Badger]

HE DID IT!!!!!...............

[eclecticEel]

From the article:

“Lionfish are very edible,” said Mr Akins. “In fact, they are quite delicious.”

Problem solved!

[OneWingedShark]

> Tempura Lion Fish

Sounds yummy!

[relictele]

ROFL so true

[KeepUSfree]

For myself, what I find "interesting" is how "conservationists" and "environmentalists" - and of course government regulatory agencies consider man separate from nature - and are more about "keeping things the way they are" than they are about actual conservation and ecoology.

For instance, a bird can eat a fruit in South America, fly to Florida, poop out a seed and the "non-native" plant grows and takes over - they call that "plant succession".

But, if a human brings that same seed in - they violate a dozen USDA laws and are considered a criminal.

I've been in MANY arguments about this and try to explain to "conservationists" that - how do you know that man wasn't created (or evolved - depending on the debater) for the precise purpose of, say, bringing Lionfish from the Pacific to the Atlantic?

It could be the single "act" that, at some point in the future, saves the planet.

We aren't the driver of this vehicle - merely passengers.

[101voodoo]

I used to sell these things, Note the temperature they must have for survival. Saying these fish pose a threat "to the east coast is pure BS. In all but a few locations (Fla Keys) they will die in Jan-Feb when water temps drop into the 50's and 60's.

Here's a link charting avg water temps on the East Coast

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/wtg12.html

*********************************************************

Size : The common variety can get to be 12 inches (30 cm) or larger. Dwarf varieties usually get to be about 6 inches (15 cm)

Temperature : 74°F - 80°F (22°C - 27°C)

Specific Gravity : 1.020 - 1.025

Carbonate Hardness (dKH) : 8 - 12°

Origin / Habitat : Red Sea and the Pacific Ocean

Temperament / Behavior : They are not usually overtly aggressive and can make decent tank mates with fish of the same or larger size. They are hard wired to go after smaller fish and invertebrates such as shrimps. They should be kept in a semi-aggressive tank and should probably be left out of the community tank.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Non-native species seem to be mainly introduced through ship ballast water, people releasing pets, and occasionally by a malicious neer-do-well. I’ve never before heard of a hurricane smashing an aquarium as a way of introducing a non-native species.

[Mojave]

I’ve never before heard of a hurricane smashing an aquarium as a way of introducing a non-native species.

I saw a piece on TV that said genetic testing of captured lionfish indicated that they came from multiple sources.

[stuartcr]

It’s getting them off the hook, that can hurt.

[Bringbackthedraft]

The fresh water canals have lots of exotics too. My grandson used a cast net and came up with an assortment of tropical fish. Too bad he couldn’t take them home, he could have gotten about $1000 for the pail full he caught. He released them after he showed them to me. he never intended to do anything with them he was just curious as to what they were when he saw them in the grass. They were an assort ment of Tetras, Mollies, Guppies, Oscars, and Mayan Cychlids(? spell). Its not unusual to find someone’s loose Cockatiel on your lanai. The parakeets don’t seem to be around, I guess they’re too slow for the hawks.

[americanophile]

Marine experts hope to find a predator to control the Lionfish"

This is where the rule of unintended consequences comes in. They'll find a predator that eats lionfish, introduce that species, and then be shocked to learn that rather than eating the lionfish, the new predator is picking off the same easy native pray that the lion was decimating.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Dorothy, the Tinman, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion, in chorus:
“ Pythons, Iguanas, and lionfish, Oh my!”