usvi-on-line
Another Lionfish Captured on St. Thomas
Another Lionfish Captured on St. Thomas
Story on The Source - http://stthomassource.com/content/news/ ... -st-thomas
Is this going to turn out as bad as it possibly sounds? Does anyone have knowledge about controlling the Lionfish?
Is this going to turn out as bad as it possibly sounds? Does anyone have knowledge about controlling the Lionfish?
Anthony for Virgin Islands On Line
My extremely limited knowledge is this: people bought them as pets and then released them or they stowed away in bilge from Asia. Since they have no natural predators in the Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf, they could wipe out a lot of other fishes.
They're concerned about them up here in NC; encouraging people to report catches and even trying to "discover" recipes for them so people may try to fish for them.
I know that if I see one, I'm dropping one of those buoy things and calling that number everyone keeps posting.
I think that unless they're caught, there's no fish in the waters on this side of the globe that can hunt them (or is inclined to hunt them). It could get bad...
They're concerned about them up here in NC; encouraging people to report catches and even trying to "discover" recipes for them so people may try to fish for them.
I know that if I see one, I'm dropping one of those buoy things and calling that number everyone keeps posting.
I think that unless they're caught, there's no fish in the waters on this side of the globe that can hunt them (or is inclined to hunt them). It could get bad...
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John LMBZ06
- Posts: 286
- Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:52 am
- Location: Frisco, TX
I just got back from Grand Cayman and the dive master on our boat said they rounded up over 30 of them in just one day alone there. Those things are bad news for our coral reefs and they multiply very fast.
I saw a picture someone had taken that looked like a grouper was eating one, but they also mentioned that the grouper was not moving. It almost looked like the grouper tried to eat it and then got stung.
I saw a picture someone had taken that looked like a grouper was eating one, but they also mentioned that the grouper was not moving. It almost looked like the grouper tried to eat it and then got stung.
Some information I have noted and assume to be true… simple facts…
From;
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/InNews/prolific2010.html
US government researchers believe the red lionfish was introduced into Florida waters during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 when an aquarium broke and at least six fish spilled into Miami's Biscayne Bay.
Native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, red lionfish have no natural predators in the Caribbean and can produce 30,000 eggs each month. Within five weeks they can consume all the juvenile and small fish on a reef, threatening the delicate ecosystem, said Mark Hixon, a marine biologist at Oregon State University.
At present, the only solution to the invasion is for divers to remove lionfish from the reefs," Hixon said. "We are also working in the Pacific Ocean to study lionfish in their native range to determine why they are uncommon there relative to the Atlantic and Caribbean."
You have to be slow and careful and you have to treat them with respect. We have found they are quite clever. So if you move too quickly and scare the fish off, they will remember you and when you get close again they will retreat immediately,
From: USVI Lionfish on FB
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php? ... 368&ref=ts
So far, every marked fish has been removed. We cannot say the same for every sighted fish. Everyone must be carrying a lionfish marker and know how to use it, for us to succeed.
Caribbean Lionfish Response (CORE) also on FB
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php? ... 651&v=wall
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nHzpm2zeTL0&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nHzpm2zeTL0&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/quote]
What to do if you see a lionfish:
1) Mark the location with a cork streamer (available from DPNR), take a GPS reading, and
report the sighting IMMEDIATELY to DPNR.
340-643-0800 ( the lionfish hotline)
I have also seen this as a daytime DPNR # 340-773-1082.
Another # I have seen to report to is Rafe Boulon with the National Park Service, St John at 340-693-8950.
see PDF report form and more info here:
http://fw.dpnr.gov.vi/
From;
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/InNews/prolific2010.html
US government researchers believe the red lionfish was introduced into Florida waters during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 when an aquarium broke and at least six fish spilled into Miami's Biscayne Bay.
Native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, red lionfish have no natural predators in the Caribbean and can produce 30,000 eggs each month. Within five weeks they can consume all the juvenile and small fish on a reef, threatening the delicate ecosystem, said Mark Hixon, a marine biologist at Oregon State University.
At present, the only solution to the invasion is for divers to remove lionfish from the reefs," Hixon said. "We are also working in the Pacific Ocean to study lionfish in their native range to determine why they are uncommon there relative to the Atlantic and Caribbean."
You have to be slow and careful and you have to treat them with respect. We have found they are quite clever. So if you move too quickly and scare the fish off, they will remember you and when you get close again they will retreat immediately,
From: USVI Lionfish on FB
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php? ... 368&ref=ts
So far, every marked fish has been removed. We cannot say the same for every sighted fish. Everyone must be carrying a lionfish marker and know how to use it, for us to succeed.
Caribbean Lionfish Response (CORE) also on FB
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php? ... 651&v=wall
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nHzpm2zeTL0&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nHzpm2zeTL0&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/quote]
What to do if you see a lionfish:
1) Mark the location with a cork streamer (available from DPNR), take a GPS reading, and
report the sighting IMMEDIATELY to DPNR.
340-643-0800 ( the lionfish hotline)
I have also seen this as a daytime DPNR # 340-773-1082.
Another # I have seen to report to is Rafe Boulon with the National Park Service, St John at 340-693-8950.
see PDF report form and more info here:
http://fw.dpnr.gov.vi/
... no longer a stranger to paradise
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Tim from Chicagoland
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:48 am
- Location: Highland, IN
Lionfish in the Bahamas
When I was last on Eleuthera in the fall of 2008 I saw quite a few. I only saw them on the Caribbean side. It appears they prefer calmer waters. They were almost always under rocky outcroppings. Their only solution, if you could call it that, is to spear them. a lot of people have said they are quite tasty. You just have to be careful cleaning them. I read a process for this on the internet a while back. Also saw a Utube? video of some guys on Eleuthera cleaning, cooking, and eating them.
As of now there is no answer. It looks grim.
I would suggest people start spearing them when they see them. At least this will slow the reproduction until, hopefully, the scientists can come up with a solution.
Tim
As of now there is no answer. It looks grim.
I would suggest people start spearing them when they see them. At least this will slow the reproduction until, hopefully, the scientists can come up with a solution.
Tim
So I'm as concerned as everyone else about lionfish. I've got a couple hundred wine corks so was planning on making a couple dozen markers for my upcoming trip to the BVIs.
My question is this, when you're out snorkeling, how is everyone carrying their markers? How many are you taking out on a single snorkel?
My question is this, when you're out snorkeling, how is everyone carrying their markers? How many are you taking out on a single snorkel?
A couple hundred?!?!?! Drink much?mje113 wrote:So I'm as concerned as everyone else about lionfish. I've got a couple hundred wine corks so was planning on making a couple dozen markers for my upcoming trip to the BVIs.
My question is this, when you're out snorkeling, how is everyone carrying their markers? How many are you taking out on a single snorkel?
Actually, so do we, maybe into 4 figures. We had a project to fill a 20 some gallon crock with wine corks, long story....We are going to make a few markers for our upcoming trip. It will be good project for our son. I plan on just tucking a marker or two into my bathing suit.
I left supplies to make markers with Ruth last week. If you don't remember to make markers, need more markers or just don't drink (if that is you, you are probably on the wrong forum) 
Ruth can help you out.
I have been told that Lionfish move slowly. They stay in the same area and wait for the food to come to them. They like ledges, cracks and other small, protected places to hide. Once you identify a lionfish location, they are unlikely to move away.
JIM
Ruth can help you out.I have been told that Lionfish move slowly. They stay in the same area and wait for the food to come to them. They like ledges, cracks and other small, protected places to hide. Once you identify a lionfish location, they are unlikely to move away.
JIM
Man it's like some dream we live down here....
