The Invasion of the Lionfish

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What if I told you that there is an invasive species that can harm not only the environment but also us. That species is the lionfish, and it has venomous spines that deter predators and can cause painful injury to humans. It has invaded our coastlines and here are some of the impacts that have happened and could happen.

Where has the lionfish invaded? The Lionfish has invaded the entire east coast of the US, south through the Caribbean, and east to Bermuda. But before we can understand the fish we have to learn its natural habitat. The lionfish comes from the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. In that area it has adapted to the reefs and predators that hunt them. What makes them so invasive to our region?

The predators that the lionfish has adapted to in its natural habitat are very different to the ones in this new region. It has no natural predators in this area and preys on native species such as cleaner shrimp, Nassau grouper, and grunts. They are ambush predators that inject venom into their prey. If this problem is not taken care of then it could cause food shortages for larger native species. What have we been doing to stop this menace?

What has already started taking place is that we have started using them as food in restaurants. Also there is no bag limit on the lionfish. You can spear, catch in nets, and catch on hook and line the invasive lionfish. You can help to by attending a lionfish workshop, or join a lionfish derby. So let’s wrap this up.

To recap, what we have covered is where they have invaded. We have talked a little bit about where they come from. Also what they prey on and what preys on them. Finally we have talked about what you can do to help stop this invasive species. What will you do to help?

What makes them so invasive to our region?

What have we been doing to stop this menace?

What will you do to help?

1 thought on “The Invasion of the Lionfish

  1. I found it interesting that the lionfish is poisonous to humans.They are well known for their ornate beauty, venomous spines, and unique tentacles. some of the most serious injuries that can happen if poisoned are paralysis in the limbs, heart attack, and even death. I found it interesting that there are 11 species known.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterois

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