Lionfish Awareness and Elimination

[Dr Dive]

Wow. 27 pages and counting.

Dr Dive sez: here are some N. Central Gulf observations.

REEF says LF are site specific. I agree. However, a site can be cleared of LF in a day or two, depending on size. Not a permanent fix, but is an impact. They do repopulate, but it's a reset.

Killing LF and leaving them on the reef does encourage natural predation. We see discarded LF eaten by snapper, grouper who are later found to have juvenile LF in their bellies when cleaned.

if various locations are only finding LF "too small to eat", then you are doing it right.

FL FWC recently lifted all restrictions on LF taking. No license, no limits on number, no limits on total weight taken. It's open season here. And we're coming to get you.

Local rodeos and spear fishing competitions have included LF categories and prizes. Good encouragement for action.

Reef damage is minimal, unless you really try to make a mess. Local authorities need to loosen up, and loose the hounds. Damage from LF is worse.

Eradication may be "impossible", but reduction is an attainable goal. Heck, if we could "endanger" red snapper, we can certainly endanger Lionfish. Hopefully NMFS won't move to protect them.

just my $0.02. Y'all get out there and kill em where you find em. As we say here, kill em and grill em. It's what's for dinner.

Y'all come see us. We're shooting Lionfish up here.

Dr Dive

 

[dishonored]

Good luck.

 

[triplecove]

There is an lionfish factory at deep depth that runs day and night unmolested, that reproduces more lionfish that endlessly replaces the ones humans can harvest at shallow depth.

Sounds like an endless supply of Fish sticks! The worlds hunger problem is solved!

 

[Mike]

The other problem with the hopes of a commercial hand harvesting of lionfish for table fare is the natural discrimination that occurs, in that you will only have taking of the lionfish that are of commercially viable size, leaving the smaller ones and juveniles unmolested to continue eating their way to a desireable size to later be harvested after they've already devoured another 1000 reef juveniles.

 

[triplecove]

At what size do they start to reproduce?

 

[The Chairman]

in that you will only have taking of the lionfish that are of commercially viable size, leaving the smaller ones and juveniles unmolested to continue eating their way to a desireable size to later be harvested after they've already devoured another 1000 reef juveniles.

Actually, most of the commercial catch is coming from lobster traps. I've been told that the tiny ones make excellent lobster bait.