Since the early 90’s I have been diving in Turks & Caicos and spotted the first Lion Fish about 8 years ago. Since that time it’s population has dramatically increased.
This predator is an inhabitant of the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific and for the past 10+ years its population has grown at an alarming rate, destroying the ecosystem in the Caribbean and along the Atlantic coast. The cause of its presence is not clear although some think it happened due to an accidental release of a private aquarium during Hurricane Andrew, others believe the Lion Fish may have traveled attached to the hull of a ship. Eggs were released and the rest is history. They are veracious carnivorous and if someone does not come up with a plan this will become extremely destructive to our eco system. As an avid SCUBA diver with over 350 dives I am very concerned. I am not a Marine Biologist or an expert on the environment but this problem needs to be voiced, explored and solved. (photo by Sheryl Checkman)

Comments

mo - 8/29/2008 2:27 PM There are many Lionfish in the Red sea which also has a very diverse marine life, ok they are an endemic spices to the Red sea, and like those Lionfish in the Atlantic have very few natural predators other than Octopus, as they are loners and don’t shoal up I really don’t see them being anything more than eye candy for divers. Endemic species will for sure adapt to cope with these very beautiful fish, we always tend to re