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Old 13-08-2008, 17:40   #1
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Lionfish Invasion

Saw quite a few of these last season in the Bahamas. Apparently going to see more next season.
TheStar.com | sciencetech | Venomous lionfish invades Caribbean waters
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Old 13-08-2008, 17:46   #2
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The Florida Wildlife Commission has asked that all divers report sightings and suggested spearing them on sight. I was at Rose Island (Nassau) last summer and saw a very large one. The large aquarium at the Atlantis Resort has apparently had screen failures in the past that resulted in dumping their entire contents into the area.

The bad thing about the lionfish is that they lay up in the coral, and it's only a matter of time before someone reaching for a lobster comes out envenomated.
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Old 13-08-2008, 17:55   #3
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Yeah, it's an invasive spieces that folks, without thinking, may have released from their home collections instead of desposing of them properly or they became established due to damage stemming from hurricanes that adversly impacted public aquariums. May be a combination of both, don't know.

Unfortunately, they have few natural predators in the wild, even in their home waters. The sting can kill most other fish, so obviously they are left alone. I read in a Nassau newspaper about a chef starting to serve the fish, and the reviewer raved about it, but I don't see a lot of fishermen looking to hook one for dinner!

I think the best approach would be to develop an effective way to kill them without touching the fish itself. If the Bahamian government were to authorize the use of spearguns against them (only), maybe we can stem the encroachment. But again, don't know how to shoot it without having to worry about removing the body without placing yourself in danger.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd be all for hearing about it! We have to start attacking these fish before they become so numerous that visits to the hospital become commonplace!

Thoughts?
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Old 13-08-2008, 17:56   #4
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Lionfish are beautiful to dive with, not aggressive and very photogenic. (look…don’t touch!)

I dive with them all the time in Asia and the Western Pacific where obviously there has developed a balance between them and their prey.

I guess things will change in the Caribbean as the predatory order gets re-arranged but I don’t believe it will be catastrophic for other small reef species and a new balance will naturally occur.
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Old 13-08-2008, 20:25   #5
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They have been cited off the coast of North Carolina as well...

Lionfish Observed off North Carolina
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Old 14-08-2008, 01:06   #6
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NOAA Lionfish Report:
Scuba divers and others can help with the NOAA research effort by reporting lionfish sightings to:
Paula Whitfield
NOAA Beaufort Laboratory
101 Pivers Island Rd
Beaufort, NC 28516 -9722
Voice: 252-728-8746
Fax: 252-728-8784
Email: Paula.Whitfield@noaa.gov

Please be prepared to provide coordinates of where the lionfish was found and at what depth. If possible, photographs or video should accompany the above information.

Bahamas Lionfish Sighting Report:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?...bbOLntPA_3d_3d

See also:
The Lionfish Invasion!
NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Lionfish Discovery Story

Click on the links, to the right.
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Old 14-08-2008, 04:50   #7
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Old 14-08-2008, 07:20   #8
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Apparently these guys are having some fun with it! Perhaps we should get them together with Paula Whitfield out of NOAA?

Lionfish Hunter: Eleuthera bags second largest lionfish in the Bahamas!
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Old 14-08-2008, 07:29   #9
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I just sent the above link to Paula Whitfield with NOAA, with credit to the CF board (aka GordMay, of course).
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Old 14-08-2008, 07:36   #10
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I've heard that they are a decent eating fish. I plan to spear as many as possible next winter.

Spearfishermen have been trying to remove them from the East coast of Florida for a couple of years, and we seem to be falling behind the curve.

Quote:
I think the best approach would be to develop an effective way to kill them without touching the fish itself. If the Bahamian government were to authorize the use of spearguns against them (only), maybe we can stem the encroachment. But again, don't know how to shoot it without having to worry about removing the body without placing yourself in danger.
The Bahamians will never allow spearguns, and it's not necessary for these little buggers. With a Hawaiian sling it's real easy, just use your fin to push it off of the back of the spear. With a polespear, almost the same thing, use your big plastic fin to pin the fish while taking care of your tip to remove the fish, and wear heavy gloves while spearfishing.
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Old 14-08-2008, 10:56   #11
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How the heck do you clean them for eating? I guess they're still poisonous when they're dead. I have heard they can be eaten but I think I'll stick to less venomous fish even if they're more difficult to shoot. Those groupers in the Bahamas have generations of learning how to hide from us, it might be my imagination but they were a lot easier to shoot 20 years ago but then again, it might be me being twenty years older.
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Old 14-08-2008, 11:00   #12
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I was curious about the effect of getting stung (envenomated) by one of these little beasties. Apparently the subjects of this study ran afoul of their pet Lionfish in their aquariums. Exerpt...

"Pterois(eg, lionfish, zebrafish, turkey fish, butterfly cod): In one series of 101 described cases of captive lionfish (genus Pterois) envenomations in the United States, 92% of patients experienced local pain, 60% experienced edema, and 13% experienced systemic symptoms. There were no fatalities. Wounds were graded with the use of a grading system, and 95% of the wounds were found to be grade I (erythema), 4% were found to be grade II (vesicle formation), and 1% were found to be grade III (tissue necrosis). Pain was relieved with hot-water immersion therapy in 97% of the patients, and 0% of the patients required antivenom administration. One patient required intravenous antibiotics, one hypotensive patient responded well to intravenous fluids, and 13% of patients had variable, less severe, systemic symptoms."

Source:
Scott A Gallagher, MD, FACEP, Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, Aspen Valley Hospital; Senior Clinical Instructor, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center eMedicine - Lionfish and Stonefish : Article by Scott A Gallagher
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Old 14-08-2008, 11:56   #13
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I never realised it was such a big concern on the east coast or that snapper would be their prey (maybe juveniles?)

Also I cannot remember anyone ever being stung by them when just diving, but of course they were not trying to catch or kill them.

Funny how when you see one over here diving it is a bonus!
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Old 16-08-2008, 19:15   #14
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The info in this article is a few years old but still an interesting read in which the author finds a juvenile in Long Island Sound of all places.

Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine - Feature Article: Atlantic Lionfish???
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Old 16-08-2008, 21:46   #15
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Diving in the Red Sea back in the late 70's, my dive guide told us, " we have 3 things here to watch out for. The first is Fire Choral,.... The seond is the Lionfish, if you get stung by one of those, come up. We will get you to the hospital. You will be sick for about 3 days. The third is the Stonefish. If you get stung by one of those, enjoy the rest of your dive. You ave about 20 minets left to live."

I saw lionfish in the marina in La Paz and didn't think anything about the possibility of them being an invasive species. Is that the case?
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