Exotics Invade

RickI · Jul 31, 2007

We were diving on a shallow wreck north of Bimini in the Bahamas yesterday and guess what showed up? A venomous fish that I thought for several decades only occurred in the Pacific.

No longer, the red lionfish apparently lacking natural predators has shown up at widespread locations along the east coast of the USA and in the Bahamas. Quite a few folks on here may have already known this however it was news to me on the reef.

I understand they have also been seen in Florida. What have folks encountered on here? Have you shot them when you have found them?

More photos, video clip and info at:

CLICK HERE

LiteHedded · Jul 31, 2007

that's awesome
I've certainly never seen one

DiveInFlorida · Jul 31, 2007

I saw some too while diving off Nassau last November. I haven't seen any on the Florida reef that I have been diving, but I'm looking for them.
Gary

deepstops · Jul 31, 2007

They've been noted to exist off Palm Beach since the early 1990s: http://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/factsheet.html

And yes, Stuart Cove's divemasters know where they live on the Nassau wrecks in the Bahamas.

East Coast US map of sightings:

Scuba_Jenny · Jul 31, 2007

I think I recall hearing of one off Boynton Beach last year.
I am *pretty sure* I saw an emporer angel off Sunrise Blvd a few weeks ago. No camera.

Teen Diver · Jul 31, 2007

RickI:
We were diving on a shallow wreck north of Bimini in the Bahamas yesterday and guess what showed up? A venomous fish that I thought for several decades only occurred in the Pacific.

No longer, the red lionfish apparently lacking natural predators has shown up at widespread locations along the east coast of the USA and in the Bahamas. Quite a few folks on here may have already known this however it was news to me on the reef.

I understand they have also been seen in Florida. What have folks encountered on here? Have you shot them when you have found them?

More photos, video clip and info at:

CLICK HERE

I recently was on a cruise to the bahamas,and my dad bought himself me and my bro a diving exscertion so anyway i think it was nassua bahamas where we were diving. while we were on the dive boat the dive master was telling us about the fish we would see, and the first one was the Lion fish! he spoke about 15minuts on thous fishs saying how dangerus they are and if one come your way just be calm and just swimm away. There amazing fish! i never knew they were posionus untill that day:11:

FL_DVLover · Jul 31, 2007

My brother goes spearfishing out of Daytona Beach and claims to have seen several. Looking at the map of sightings, it looks like others have seen them in that area too.

Reel Crazy14 · Jul 31, 2007

Most places in 80 feet of water or more off Jacksonville are covered up with them. Seeing more than 10 in one dive isn't rare. I've speared a few for a study theyre doing on them.

RickI · Aug 1, 2007

I just came across a short online reporting form for lionfish sightings,

http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/nccos/ccfhr/lionfishreport.aspx

If you have seen any please help NOAA to better understand what is going on with the invasion.

Those are some astonishing quantities off Jax. How commonly have they been seen elsewhere? Have they been seen in the Atlantic to congregate as in the Pacific?

A short video clip about the invasion and quite a bit of other information appears at:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/welcome.html

Gilldiver · Aug 1, 2007

They have been seen all the way up to Rhode Island. But they don't seem to do well at temps less then 68F or so. So, year round populations may be limited to Cape Hattaras and south. But with global warming, our grand kids may see them up into the Gulf of Maine.

Exotics Invade

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