Searchingfor Solutions

Scientists,divers,andevenchefsareworkingonwaystoaddressthelionfishproblem.Lionfishdon’thaveanynaturalpredatorsintheAtlanticOcean.So,somescientiststriedtosolvetheproblembyteachinglocalpredatorstolookatlionfishas lunch.

Here'showitworked:Adiverwouldspearalionfish.Thenofferthefishasamealtoanearbybarracudaorshark.Whilethepredatorswouldgladlyeatthelionfishtheywereoffered,mostofthemdidn’tstarthuntinglionfishontheirown.Theyexpectedhandouts.Somespeciesbegantogetaggressivewith divers.

Adiverspearsseverallionfishduringalionfish "derby."

FishingTournaments

Divershavehadmoreluckmanagingtheproblemusingthelionfish"derby.”Thisisasingle‑dayeventtocollectandremoveasmanylionfishatagivenlocationaspossible.TeamsSCUBAdive,freedive,orsnorkel.Theycollectlionfishbynettingthemorspearingthem.Prizesaregivenouttoteamsthatcatchthe most.


Thepublicisinvitedtoattendthecompetition.Theycantastefreelionfishsamplesandlearnmoreabout lionfish.


From2009to2018,theReefEnvironmentEducationFoundation(REEF)hostedderbies.Theyremovedmorethan23,000lionfishfromspecific sites.

Chefspreparenewlionfish recipes.

AFishyFare

Lionfisharenotpoisonous.Theyarevenomous.Thedifferencebetweenpoisonandvenomisthemethodofdelivery.Poisonmustbeeatenorabsorbedtobeharmful.Venommustbeinjectedintothebloodstreamthroughasharpspineorfang,for example.


So,lionfisharesafetoeat.Somechefshaveadoptedastrategy.“Ifwecan’tbeatthem,eatthem.”In2010,REEFreleasedacookbooktogetcommercialdiversinterestedincatchinglionfish.Thebookincludesmanyrecipes.Chefsattoprestaurantshavetriedtofindcreativewaystopreparethisnew cuisine.

SettingaTrap

SteveGittings,chiefscientistattheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration'sNationalMarineSanctuarySystem,hasanotherstrategy.Hisideausesalionfish'sownbehaviortotrap it.


Lionfishliketogatheringroupsaroundunderwaterstructures.SoGittingsdevelopedatrap.Whenthetraphitsanoceansurface,itspringsopenandlaysflat.Inside,afewplasticobjectsfloatup.Theseobjectsattractlionfish.Whenafishermantugsonthetrap,itcloses,shuttinginany lionfish.


Atthispointthereisnowaytocompletelyeliminatethelionfishpopulation.Butwemustcontinuetomanagethethreat.Thehealthofourcoralreefsdependson it.

Thistrap,seenjustoff shorefromDestin,Florida,snaps shuttocapture lionfish.