Lionfish are voracious predators and non-selective feeders, and their stomachs can expand up to 30 times the natural size after eating. It is estimated that a single lionfish can reduce the juvenile fish population by up to 79% in just 5 weeks.
The damage they cause to our reefs and the native species cannot be overstated.
While spearfishing can be seen as a threat to our reefs and oceans, in the case of the lionfish it is a benefit. Numerous groups have been formed by scientists and concerned divers and conservationists to study what can be done to control this damaging species and to protect our oceans for generations to come.
Bill
Although the Lionfish is one of the most beautiful and graceful fish in our oceans, it is an invasive, non-native species here in the Caribbean and in the Atlantic ocean. They have no natural enemies in these waters and a female is able to produce up to 2 million eggs per year.