By now, we’ve all heard about the lionfish invasion currently taking place in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. These non-native fish entered into US waters years ago, and because the lionfish have highly effective defenses and no natural predators, their numbers have absolutely exploded. These rapidly increasing populations have brought all kinds of harm to local baitfish populations, as lionfish can out-compete natural predators for food and place a huge burden on the delicate food web. Realizing the issues these fish create, many different organizations have started recreational events in which fisherman can win prizes for hauling in large amounts of lionfish. The latest event, simply called the Lionfish Derby, takes place this Saturday, April 28th, at Black Point Marine in Miami, Florida and is hosted by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation. Prizes will be involved, but besides winning some free stuff, participants of the single day event will also get the satisfaction of significantly contributing to research projects involving the lionfish.
Story comes to us via MASNA
