Since lionfish first appeared on the eastern seaboard in the 1980s, the invasive predators have wreaked havoc on local ecosystems. The venomous, striped fish have voracious appetites. And they spawn at a mind-boggling rate, producing two million eggs per year. Lionfish now dominate Atlantic waters from North Carolina to Venezuela.
In an effort to manage out-of-control populations, conservationists have begun holding lionfish derbies in Florida and the Bahamas. Cash prizes are offered to divers who catch the most lionfish, often resulting in hundreds of the invaders being removed in a single day. Florida has even relaxed hunting restrictions to support lionfish removal from protected areas.
Unlike in their native habitats in the Red Sea and Pacific and Indian Oceans – lionfish have no natural predators in the Atlantic to keep their populations in check. Even worse, they feed on fish that play an important role in cleaning algae off of coral reefs. A single lionfish can wipe out nearly 80 percent of juvenile reef-dwelling fish in five weeks – compromising reef survival.
This is not the first time hunting has been encouraged as a way to manage invasive species. In the Pacific Northwest, a successful program rewards anglers for catching pike minnows, a species that prey on young salmon. Other efforts, like a Burmese python hunting challenge in Florida, have been less effective.
Despite their small scale, experts believe lionfish derbies can go a long way toward maintaining the health of local ecosystems and helping native species rebound. Some even hope to see lionfish become the catch of the day at local restaurants.
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Photo, posted September 16, 2012, courtesy of Tambako the Jaguar via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.