Atlantic & Caribbean Lionfish question.......

[Mountain Dog]

There is an interesting article about the Lionfish invasion in the March '08 Scuba Diving magazine. It talks about the research being done by REEF and NOAA.

Mountain Dog

 

[agilis]

They are increasingly common in NJ waters during late summer, especially juveniles. Their distribution indicates that Lionfish were almost certainly initially introduced into Florida waters by ignorant marine aquarists who could no longer care for them, and have spread north carried on the Gulf Stream. They seem to be able to maintain permanent populations as far north as the Carolinas. Colder water further north kills Gulf Stream strays in winter. Hopefully, no natural distribution mechanism exists which will cause any significant southward spread from Florida and the Bahamas into the Caribbean. Their introduction has the potential to be ecologically catastrophic. They should be vigorously exterminated, and further importation of this species should be banned.

 

[salth2owannabe]

On a cruise in December I snorkeled at New Providence right down the beach from Beaches Resort. The only real structure was an engine block and I was surprised to see a lion fish hanging out around this engine block.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I spotted the tiniest lionfish at Hazard Ave in Narrangansett, RI (Washington County) in 2005 supposedly the most northern sighting a NOAA representive said( I never confirmed that). Since then, someone has spotted em in MA and quite a few more much larger ones in Newport, RI after that.

We have some pics posted by one of our members in the New England Lobster divers forum. You have to search a bit as it was a while ago and we have some discussions about em. The fish was the size of my fingernail and I thought I was hallucinating until it opened up its wing like fins.

 

[lmorin]

Supposedly, there have been numerous sightings around Turks and Caicos. We saw one off Providenciales in Jan.

 

[saudio]

I just got back from a week on the Turks and Caicos Explorer, where we saw two of them, on two different sites. The DM's said it was quite common now.

 

[scubamax]

Increasing frequency in Bermuda over the past couple of years. Not commonplace (yet).

 

[Gilldiver]

Seen them in Rhode Island waters in late summer. From the guys with the Fisheries departments the trigget temp seems to be 60 to 65F. Above that you have them year round, lower then that and they die off in the winter.

Last time I was off Hattaras, NC they were like rats on some of the wrecks.

 

[cappyjon431]

Here in S.E. North Carolina I've seen a number of them (about a dozen total) off of our ledges, they are not just confined to the wrecks.

 

[pir8]

I've seen them in North Carolina