Florida Bans Lionfish

MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida's ban on importing invasive lionfish, the first of its kind in the nation, goes into effect on Friday as wildlife managers look for a way to control the spread of the barbed, red-and-white striped fish.

Bringing the fish into the state is now punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a year in prison.

Lionfish, native to the waters off Southeast Asia, are believed to have arrived in the region as pets for aquariums. Over time, some were released into the wild.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which approved the ban in mid-June, also loosened fishing rules making it easier for recreational divers and fisherman to catch lionfish.

Scientists are concerned that lionfish will decimate other species found in Florida waters. The fish, which have few known predators, live in warm waters up to 1,000 feet deep and feed on anything from shrimp to other fish.

The loinfish, which can grow up to a foot in length, are covered in poisonous spines. While they are not aggressive, they can flare the barbs much like a porcupine if threatened.

"They're here to stay," said Roldan Muñoz, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in North Carolina who studies the lionfish.

"If we can prevent more of them from getting dumped into the water ... as well as making it easier for people to harvest them it's a good start," he said.

The first lionfish sighting was in 1985 off the coast of South Florida, according to Pam Schofield, a fishery researcher for the United State Geological Service (USGS).

In the mid-1990s they began spreading up Florida's east coast and can now be found year-round from the shores of Venezuela to North Carolina.

Lionfish have been spotted on the U.S. East Coast as far north as Rhode Island, but aren't able to survive in the frigid winter waters.

A lionfish database operated by the USGS includes more than 4,000 sightings logged since 1985, though estimates of the total lionfish population aren't available.

In September, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will consider additional punishment for breeding lionfish.

http://news.yahoo.com/florida-lionfi...204358216.html

Sigh... Another reason to keep me out of the water. Bad enough with sharks, barracudas, sting rays, jelly fish, sea nettles, Portuguese Man of War, flesh eating bacteria, etc., etc.

I sure do miss the days when I was young and ignorant.

The lionfish are a huge problem throughout the Caribbean. I've seen lionfish the size of a basketball guarding 'their' piece of reef. The have no predators, and eat everything. This isn't like the evil everglades pythons; these guys are thriving everywhere and destroying food chains. All we can do as divers is report them, unless you are very experienced with spearfishing AND venomous spines. They don't move very fast, so aren't much danger to people unless you try to touch they. I guess on the good side, you see them popping up on menus. I don't like fish, but I've heard they're quite tasty.

Noelle

Surely the stable door has been well and truly open for so long now that this move is hopelessly late though?

What purpose can stopping people keeping them have now?

Certainly, a huge amount of damage has been done. Much of it can't be fixed in our lifetime, as reefs grow so very slowly. I can see the point of the ban, though. These fish are absolutely beautiful, and thrive in saltwater tanks. They are sold at a reasonable price, the size of a golf ball. However, they grow very quickly, devouring everything else in the tank, and are guaranteed to outgrow all but the largest commercial tanks. They are also quite venomous. As they become too large and scary, people are pretty much forced to release them or let them die at home. So, essentially every lionfish sold to halfway competent keepers will be released into the oceans.

Noelle

In the Bahamas natives are learning to fish them traditionally and via spearing and eating them! The filets are nearly $25/pd. and they're delicious. If you see some filets for sale I would highly encourage you to buy them and support the effort.

Same in Turks and Caicos, Bonaire, Anguilla, and the BVI, from what I've experienced. Turning a problem into a solution.

Noelle

Heck, just put a decent bounty on them in economically depressed areas and problem will begin to resolve itself. Fillet the larger fish right on the spot of check-in and allow the bounty hunters to sell those fillets, or keep them to eat themselves, too.

Governments could solve some problems if they would just spend money wisely, I think.

Heck, how many programs have had to be put into place to keep some species of fish from going extinct from over harvesting? Shouldn't be too hard to purposely make a species go extinct in local areas if you put your mind (and money) into a honest effort.

For that matter, if even casual divers could make some money while enjoying their hobby, why wouldn't they take advantage of the offer?

I really wanna try spear fishing for them, next time I visit Florida.

I think the problem is that these particular fish are covered in large venomous spines, so it's not as easy as say, killing a rattlesnake. You have to know how to handle them even after they're dead. Although, for money, I imagine a lot of folks would learn.