Long Island Lionfish

[Guest Larry-T]

The article below is excerpted from Practical Fishkeeping. For more information, go to Practical Fishkeeping.

 

Divers have reported capturing hundreds of venomous lionfish swimming in the seas off New York's Long Island this summer, providing evidence to suggest that the non-native fish has been breeding in the area.

 

According to a report from the New York Times, divers have caught hundreds of lionfish this year, compared to a total of 30 over the past three years. The species is normally found in the tropical Pacific Ocean, far away from the comparatively cooler waters of Long Island.

 

Todd Gardner, a biologist at Atlantis Marine World aquarium, and a specialist in the area's lionfish, told the New York Times: "There must be many, there must be thousands and thousands more out there. It's a population explosion."

[BeltwayBandit]

I was at BRK and they had two that Byron collected off of North Carolina a couple of weeks ago. Not good.

 

This is a good reminder to all of us that once a critter is taken from the wild into captivity they should not be released back into the wild (at least not by amateurs such as ourselves). I know California has banned caluerpa because it is establishing itself as a non-native invasive species in several areas too. I think they also have a similar problem with caulerpa in the Med as well.

[squiddly]

I've never done fish collecting, but I have a dry suit and know how to use it :-). When we going?

[OUsnakebyte]

Jen and I took a class through GMU back in August in The Bahamas. During our last dive, we came across this little devil:

 

 

 

The owner of the boat was with us (he has been diving since waaaay before I was a glimmer in my parents' eyes...), and he ended up spearing this guy shortly after this photo was taken.

[Guest Larry-T]

I was at BRK and they had two that Byron collected off of North Carolina a couple of weeks ago. Not good.

 

This is a good reminder to all of us that once a critter is taken from the wild into captivity they should not be released back into the wild (at least not by amateurs such as ourselves). I know California has banned caluerpa because it is establishing itself as a non-native invasive species in several areas too. I think they also have a similar problem with caulerpa in the Med as well.

 

There was an entire program on either NOVA or some other show on PBS about the Calurpa infestation in the Med which was traced to a public aquarium that had it escape through its water drains.

 

If the Lionfish survive this coming winter and proliferate next year, it will look like a permanent estabished population. It will be interesting to observe the effect on the ecosystem with this new player in place.

[BeltwayBandit]

NOAA website on the Lionfish "invasion" http://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/education...n02_invade.html

[Armson]

I have done alot of reading on the subject. Here is what I know...

 

They were first spotted in the early 90's. I spotted one in 2001 off the wreck of the dixie arrow. The two I captured were collected off that wreck as well. The gulf stream has come a little closer to the coast this year which is causing alot more tropical fish to be spotted as far north as RI. The Breeding pairs of lionfish are some were south of the Diamond shoals in NC. The larger adults tend to be located in deeper waters 125+ and have been spotted as far north as Hatteras, NC. I will post links to more articles about the east coast lionfish when I get back to work on thursday.

 

 

 

 

Byron

[rancor1]

I was checking out a dive operation in the Turks and one of their promo pictures was a lionfish. I'd say their native now. NOAA actually has a public information program called "Habitatitude" that's intended to education the aquarium hobby on the dangers of exotics releases, including plants and inverts.

http://www.habitattitude.net/

I'd say it's a major issue considering they're pulling lion fish off of long island and pacus in Wyoming.

[HowardofNOVA]

Food for thought for everyone.

 

WARNING:

Do not flush algae of any types down the toilet as well!

Could you picture going to the beach someday and looking out at all that green algae growing on the surface of Ocean City Beaches!

 

....oh, already there!!