Sick Lionfish worldwide phenomenon. Is there hope?

[Divers Guide]

For some months now, sick or injured lionfish have been found off the coast of Klein Bonaire. The injuries are all the same. The animals are found floating on the surface, with superficial skin injuries. Lionfish Hunters posted it on Facebook, with a stream of responses from people having observed the phenomenon. A researcher, who also reacted, mentioned the same phenomenon in Florida.

More: Sick Lionfish Bonaire worldwide phenomenon. Is there hope?

 

[60plus]

Just a thought - could it be that some of the species lionfish are now exposing themselves species that carry something that is harmful to lionfish. A bit like grey squirrels carrying a virus that kills red squirrels.

 

[wildbill9]

"Nature finds a way" to quote a film. I hope nature is responding to this threat. I can only hope this is the case. I have been worried about the efficiency of harvesting them above 120 feet, how many are below safe diving depth? And what is their natural predictors in their home environment? Die you b*stards is my feeling.

 

[Compressor]

Nature will eventually fix this issue. I cannot imagine a situation where the Atlantic Ocean is harboring disease specific to Lion Fish. But mother nature knows best.

 

[Kimela]

Unless the number of fish this is happening to is staggering, I wonder if they're fish that spear fishermen have wounded but didn't capture?

 

[Centrals]

It is definitely NOT "worldwide phenomenon" as the title suggested!

 

[drrich2]

Sounds good, but with their reproductive rate I anticipate lionfish will soon develop more substantial resistance to whatever caused this. Mass numbers over a huge range of varied habitat and tremendous egg production make lasting population decimation seem unlikely.

But we can hope...

Richard.

 

[RockiesFan]

And if this is due to disease, don't expect it to remain species specific forever.

 

[Divers Guide]

Sounds good, but with their reproductive rate I anticipate lionfish will soon develop more substantial resistance to whatever caused this. Mass numbers over a huge range of varied habitat and tremendous egg production make lasting population decimation seem unlikely.

But we can hope...

Richard.

It's hard. But the only thing we can do is fight back with everything we got and is offered to us. Am i right?

 

[drrich2]

It's hard. But the only thing we can do is fight back with everything we got and is offered to us. Am i right?

Take care to screen 'everything we got' through the filter of 'Let's not do more harm than good' (akin to the oft-quoted health care field saying 'First do not harm.') I agree a vigorous effort to eradicate them as best we may from some areas is worthwhile, hopefully creating 'reservations' or 'refuges' for their prey species, perhaps allowing those a longer time to adapt under natural selection to the lionfish threat.

The best example I've seen discussed is the question of who should be allowed to spear them. Do you restrict it to resident dive professionals, anyone holding a teaching credential, anyone who brings his own spear and wants to try...? How much damage might the inept do missing lionfish and striking the reef, how much damage might the malicious do spearing other species, how much harm is caused when someone misses and 'trains' the lionfish to flee spearmen, etc...?

If we're too paralyzed with fear of risk to try anything we essentially forfeit, which seems unwise. There's a balance to be found somewhere.

Richard.