Lionfish sighting

[liamsaunt]

Rain has temporarily (temporarily!) driven me off the beach and so I thought I would tell you that John and I came across a lionfish today. It had already been marked by someone else so I am assuming it has been reported. The fish was at Haulover South, left side as you are looking at the water, about 30 feet from shore. It took about 20 minutes of looking around to find it once we saw the marker--it was very well hidden under a ledge. I have to go into town and get some markers for us to use. I have not been in to town at all except to pick up lunch one day at Deli Grotto, but seeing this fish reminds me to go to the NPS store. Due to the depth and location of the fish, this is the best picture I could get:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/5436366115/" title="haulover south lionfish by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/543 ... 089772.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="haulover south lionfish"></a>

[Pickle]

Not good news... but glad to hear someone has marked the fish.

We'll make sure to bring markers on our upcoming trip. Fortunately, we didn't have to use them last year... but forgot to drop them off at St. John Spice. We'll make more and this time will remember to drop off unused ones at the store before we leave.

How to make lionfish markers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHzpm2ze ... r_embedded

[Captain Jack]

Just curious. Once the markers are dropped and the fish is reported, what happens next? What do they do with the fish?

[bevm]

I know they capture them but silly question...So you put out a marker....What's to say they'll be there when they go to capture it? Don't they move from place to place?

[Captain Jack]

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Im so curious as to how long it takesto respond and if they have enough people to cover everything. It just seems like if there is one, there's more

[Pickle]

My understanding is that lionfish tend to stick around one spot... (for most of their lives?).

I have to say that I do feel kind of bad for the lionfish. It's not like their intention is to "destroy". They are not indigenous to the Caribbean and, unfortunately, they are invasive/harmful to the ecosystem there and any other place where the marine life is not adapted to deal with them...

[Exit Zero]

Some of the lesser snorkeled bays in the VI have been literally eaten to death for reef fish by these lionfish - I have seen , speared and lost them sometimes as big as a small volleyball - and they are voracious -- this may be the future scourge of our fishlife - but maybe nature will take care of it over a long time - once they eat everything - ??

[John LMBZ06]

An article today in The Tradewinds said that they have already caught 70 of these things off of St. John and 1,500 across the area. I have heard that they make good eating, so I say put them on the menu so we can help take care of the problem.

“So far there have been 70 lionfish caught off St. John and about 1,500 across the territory,” he said. “Basically the biggest thing we can do is raise community awareness and get people to help and volunteer.”

[cptnkirk]

To bad they don't play nice with the local fish population. They really are beautiful creatures. They must have some kind of predator in there natural enviroment I would think. Wonder if it could be introduced to keep it under control or does it really have no predators. That might be a bad idea too. Seems you mess with mother nature many times it has unintended consequences. Maybe figure out a way to market the suckers. If they are good eating put money on their heads and good ole supply and demand will take care of them. Heck convince a few billion peeps it'll put some lead in there pencil and whoolaaa no more lionfish problem, including there natural range.

[Pickle]

I didn't mean to sound like I am in favor of lionfish. They are what they are (it's unfortunate, I still think), which can/will bring disastrous consequences to the life around the reef in the Caribbean and the southeast U. S. coast... and will possibly spread into the South American coastal waters. We will mark the fish if we see them and notify NPS. I wish we could do more.

cptn, I've heard that some sharks, large eels and groupers, etc. might feed on lionfish, but dead or alive, that I don't know. Once fully-grown, they seem to have no natural enemies, though. The local Caribbean fishes don't recognize this recently introduced invasive species as predators (or food? I'm guessing).

[crasherino]

An article today in The Tradewinds said that they have already caught 70 of these things off of St. John and 1,500 across the area. I have heard that they make good eating, so I say put them on the menu so we can help take care of the problem.

“So far there have been 70 lionfish caught off St. John and about 1,500 across the territory,” he said. “Basically the biggest thing we can do is raise community awareness and get people to help and volunteer.”

Not sure that you'd want to eat them - most probably contain ciguetera poisoning which would ruin your whole day.

[Captain Jack]

Just reading an article about lion fish and what eats them. Interesting enough, the nurse shark eats them. Maybe.....that is why people are seeing alot of nurse sharks?????

[hoosierdaddy]

I think this is the answer.
If you can't beat em eat em.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL3hTqKlhoM

[alw1977]

I was at the GA aquarium yesterday and they have a decent lionfish exhibit. When not destroying habitats, these are beautiful fish. Apparently, they are an issue all over the southern Atlantic as well, and they have no known natural predators. If you see one, please do your part and report it. True, the lionfish doesn't know it's a scourge, but it is. And a nasty one at that. If you want to see one, go to an aquarium.

[CariBert]

Just reading an article about lion fish and what eats them. Interesting enough, the nurse shark eats them. Maybe.....that is why people are seeing alot of nurse sharks?????

Nurse Shark, eh? Hmmm just what the Doctor ordered....



-Bert