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Invasive Lionfish

11 images Created 17 Sep 2015

They have been dubbed the worst invasive species case in human history. The lionfish have quickly spread throughout the warm Atlantic ocean and are wreaking havoc on the local fish populations and reefs. People are trying to cull as many as possible, though, eradication is almost certainly impossible.

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  • While a fairly minor concern individually, together the invasive species is spreading virus-like throughout the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, wreaking havoc on reef ecosystems throughout the region.
    Invader.jpg
  • Some places, like the gulf side of northern Florida, have especially high densities of lionfish that can sustain an entire commercial fishery.
    Density.jpg
  • While the exact source of the lionfish invasion is not known, the aquarium trade is the most likely vector.
    Aquarium
  • A mural is painted on the side of a small grocery store on Eleuthera Island, Bahamas depicting how the fait of the Bahamian fishery is tied closely to that of the invasive lionfish. An island elder looks to the past as a healthy fishery becomes embattled.
    Wall Art
  • An invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) takes shelter near a discarded plastic oil container in The Bahamas.
    Plastic
  • The best way to cull lionfish today is to spear them one by one.
    Cull
  • A lionfish is fed to a shark. It was once thought that you could teach predators like this Caribbean reef shark to eat lionfish, but there is no evidence any efforts have been working. Sharks tend to hunt weak or dying animals and actually help fish populations beneath them thrive.
    Predators.jpg
  • 1100 lionfish caught in a single day by 5 teams during the 8th annual Green Turtle Cay Lionfish Derby off Abaco, Bahamas are cleaned for food, if they are large enough.<br />
<br />
In Pensacola, FL, 8,121 lionfish were caught by 22 teams during a 2 day tournament in 2016.
    Tournament
  • Lionfish are held in a container while scientists from the Cape Eleuthera Institute study their behaviour with the hopes of helping native species survive the onslaught.
    Science
  • Chef Jim Shirah of Northern Florida prepares a plate of lionfish. Their white, flaky meat is often compared to grouper and snapper and is considered especially delicious. According to Jim, lionfish is one of their most popular dishes because they taste great and are guilt-free.
    Food
  • Lionfish tails are dried on a cutting board. They will be made into jewelry by Bahamian women. Adding value to this invasive species helps encourage fisherman to catch them instead of endangered fish like the Nassau grouper.
    Jewelry.jpg
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Shane Gross

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