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60 Minutes Fails to Note Why Invasive Lionfish Dominate Cuban Coral Reef
Newsbusters ^ | December 19, 2011 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on 12/19/2011 9:34:34 AM PST by PJ-Comix

Divers all over South Florida were probably drooling last night while watching the huge lionfish that appeared in the 60 Minutes broadcast about Cuba's Jardines de la Reina coral reef off that island's southern shore. The reason is that the state of Florida has declared open season on the invasive lionfish, introduced from Asia, which is known to devastate marine life on coral reefs. Fortunately lionfish flesh is quite tasty and its population has been kept in check in Florida by hungry divers with spearguns.

Not so in Cuba. As you can see in the video at the 15 second mark and later in their full broadcast, the lionfish at the Jardines de la Reina are both quite large and numerous. Why? It seems that Anderson Cooper shied away from asking the question that would have a politically very uncomfortable answer.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: 60minutes; andersoncooper
Anderson...DON'T TOUCH THE CORAL!!!
1 posted on 12/19/2011 9:34:37 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix

A Nation of Can Do’s governed by a cadre of Cannot do. It is so bad that when a narrow sliver of can happens, people eat.


2 posted on 12/19/2011 9:40:00 AM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: PJ-Comix

Also the statement made by the Cuban biologist “that 90% of the sharks are gone” is an outright lie.


3 posted on 12/19/2011 9:41:26 AM PST by Captain7seas (FIRE JANE LUBCHENCO FROM NOAA)
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To: PJ-Comix

So... the moral of the story is that if the world was dominated by ruthless socialist dictators the reefs would survive and flourish?

I also enjoyed the obligatory global warming mention.


4 posted on 12/19/2011 9:53:13 AM PST by Kandy Atz ("Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want for bread.")
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To: Captain7seas

The story and Cuban biologist not only lies about Sharks and fails to address the Lionfish which are invasive and kill natural reef habitat in our waters, but he also lied about the Goliath Grouper. “never see them this big anywhere” (200lbs). He’s never been to his neighbors in South Florida or the Bahamas. 200lb Goliath Grouper are a regular sight on wreck and reef dives from Lighthouse point all the way up the Palm Beaches and even further North. There was a story in the PB Post about 50 - 75 Grouper up to 200lbs dying in the St. Lucie Power plant’s canals. Jellyfish swarm killed them.


5 posted on 12/19/2011 9:56:31 AM PST by pblax8
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To: Kandy Atz
the moral of the story is that if the world was dominated by ruthless socialist dictators the reefs would survive and flourish?

The perfect liberal fairytale...

I also enjoyed the obligatory global warming mention.

Yeah, lol. Global warming is to blame for about everything. Here is a list of many things blamed on global warming: http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm

6 posted on 12/19/2011 10:08:51 AM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

Global warming does not exist in Cuba! That’s why this reef has not been affected.

Notice that the libs are so dumb they even don’t realize how this story deflates their AGW fairy tale, instead of supporting it.

Oops! Time for them to find another theory.


7 posted on 12/19/2011 10:27:12 AM PST by BigBobber
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To: PJ-Comix

I must be hell to be an editor of a piece like this and have to say to your folks, ‘Let’s make sure we spin this with the correct liberal angle to not upset the current administration’.


8 posted on 12/19/2011 10:28:28 AM PST by Portcall24
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To: PJ-Comix
I saw a NGO video where they showed how in the past the Great Barrier Reef had been completely out of the water due to lower sea levels. Guess what... it died!

Is there a great Barrier Reef today? YES! How can this be? The video was saying how we have to protect the fragile reefs. How fragile can they be if they are 100% DEAD (completely out of the water) and come back to life. Only GOD knows how these things work. Man's feeble attempt to understand these mysteries is a waste of his time.

The BP oil spill was going to be an unprecedented ecological DISASTER. OOPS, God fixed it. The actual Gulf disaster was, and is still, caused by Obama’s reaction to the spill, which continues long after God cleaned up the spilled oil.

Here, Zebra muscles were going to ruin our lake's ecology. The lake is still there, some twenty years later. The only discernible difference is that the water is a whole lot clearer.

Scientists have an agenda and they LIE. Wake up people.

9 posted on 12/19/2011 10:29:37 AM PST by faucetman ( Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts)
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To: PJ-Comix

Must be sweeps week.


10 posted on 12/19/2011 10:32:39 AM PST by McGruff (Hold the House, retake the Senate.)
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To: pblax8

The Pinder Brothers(Art and Al) in Miami during the 1950s used to spear Goliath(Jewfish as they were called before PC) some over 600 pounds.
I saw one the got they said weigh 900+ and they had it on the crane of a car wrecker. Measured seven foot.
Some old wrecks they dove on held specimens they would not spear, because when speared they could crush a man.when they trashed.


11 posted on 12/19/2011 10:44:15 AM PST by GOYAKLA (Re-flush Congress in 2012, some crap remains!)
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To: PJ-Comix
Did Anderson ask the Cubans if all that runoff from tobacco and sugar cane farms was good for the reefs ?
12 posted on 12/19/2011 10:45:35 AM PST by justa-hairyape
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To: pblax8

Goliath grouper are all over the west coast of Florida - some are much bigger than 200 pounds. I’ve read of them going upwards of 300 to 400 pounds. Regular grouper have been overfished a bit, but are still available to restaurants and markets.


13 posted on 12/19/2011 10:55:51 AM PST by astounded (Barack Obama is a clear and present danger to the USA)
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To: pblax8
but he also lied about the Goliath Grouper.

Goliath Grouper? You mean jewfish don't you, or has that gone the way of political correctness too. I know that Jewfish Creek is still the entry to Key Largo and the Florida Keys as I was just down that way.

14 posted on 12/19/2011 11:10:24 AM PST by mc5cents
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To: PJ-Comix

AW... isn’t that special Fidel Castro loves the natural environment.. a dictator with heart..
Obama is probably worried about the Lionfish in Cuba as well..

You know Obama.. the guy that wants to be Americas Fidel Castro.. that guy..


15 posted on 12/19/2011 11:15:24 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole...)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks PJ-Comix.
...the state of Florida has declared open season on the invasive lionfish, introduced from Asia, which is known to devastate marine life on coral reefs. Fortunately lionfish flesh is quite tasty and its population has been kept in check in Florida by hungry divers with spearguns.
Sounds like a great replacement for various threatened species.


16 posted on 12/19/2011 12:02:58 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Merry Christmas, Happy New Year! May 2013 be even Happier!)
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