Lionfish are destroying the world’s oceans. Native to the Indo-Pacific, lionfish invasive species are now found in great numbers in the Atlantic. Lionfish can be seen swimming along the southeast coast of North America and into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Although the exact cause of this is unknown, the earliest Atlantic sightings can be traced to the lionfish’s popularity in home aquariums about 30 years ago. Experts believe people began dumping lionfish when they grew too large or caused problems in their aquariums. They have now become invasive in an environment in which they cause great ecological harm.
Lionfish have venomous spines that are painful for humans and deadly for prey. They hunt in packs, and since they are not natural to the Atlantic Ocean, they have few predators. This makes them a serious threat to the biodiversity and ecological equilibrium of the Atlantic. They are decimating coral reef habitats. Researchers have found that a lionfish has the ability to reduce native fish populations by up to 79 percent. They feed on commercially-caught fish including snappers and groupers, which has an economic as well as ecological impact.
Experts believe that lionfish invasive species must be stopped to ensure the health of the Atlantic Ocean. Lionfish are being hunted to stem the damage done to native populations of fish and corals. They are surprisingly tasty with firm and delicate white meat, and areas in Florida and the Caribbean have begun serving lionfish at restaurants.
Lionfish divers are helping to keep the oceans vital and healthy. Lionfish species must be eliminated in the Atlantic if we are to protect the original fish in this region and avoid grave changes to the Atlantic and Caribbean waters.
