A Scary Fish Story for Friday the 13th

A Scary Fish Story for Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13th, so it makes me think of lucky and unlucky things. Personally, I like this date; but I know some people are uncomfortable with it. So, in keeping with the unlucky theme, I am reminded of a recent article about a very unlucky phenomenon in the marine environment. A level of ecological success that has been very lucky for one fish turns out to be extremely unfortunate for many other creatures in the Caribbean Sea.

The beautiful lionfish, with its red-striped face and body and long dorsal spines, is a native of the Indian and Pacific oceans. But in recent years it has gotten into the Caribbean Sea. How? It is thought that just a few lionfish escaped from a smashed aquarium tank during a hurricane in Florida. Usually an animal that gets loose in an alien environment is at a disadvantage. But the stealthy lionfish is a clever hunter and a successful breeder, producing thousands of eggs every four days. A few lionfish were first spotted in the waters around the Bahamas in 2005. Within three years, they had taken over the reefs, experiencing a population explosion by eating many of the native fish species, as well as shrimps and crabs. Scientists have found that the lionfish can reduce a reef’s native population by 75 to 80 percent in just a matter of weeks -- very unlucky for the local inhabitants. The same problem is now happening around the Grand Cayman Islands as well.

Just why are the lionfish so lucky in their new environment? It appears that, unlike the local reef fish, the lionfish are not infested by parasitic worms. Without parasites or any local predators, their mortality is quite low. And they are voracious predators, able to consume up to 30 times their stomach volume! This has caused a problem for local tourism, since people dive on the reefs to see all the beautiful native fishes--only to see an abundance of lionfish. In addition, their venomous dorsal spines can deliver a painful sting, making them a potential danger to divers who come too close. They are also a threat to the local commercial fisheries, since they are eating up native species.

So, what can be done about this fish invasion? Scientists catching a few here and there have not had an impact on their increasing population. But now, unfortunately for the lionfish, the tables have turned and there is one local predator it does have to worry about. Quite recently it has been determined that the lionfish makes a very tasty dish for humans when fried with nice seasonings. And this is turning out to be lucky for local residents and tourists in the Caribbean. Now the fishermen, not just the scientists, are turning their sights on the not-so-lucky lionfish!

Posted by Carol