Friday, September 13, 2013

NC: Invasion of lionfish could impact local anglers



Chuck Winne had a great day of spear fishing, taking 27 lionfish off an Atlantic reef in a single dive. He dives often with the Lionfish Safari Club, an informal dive group taking up the cause of lionfish eradication.
I sure miss Spearfishing.

TARBORO — Are lionfish quickly becoming a nuisance and threatening our native North Carolina reef fish populations?  Those experts in the marine sciences give an emphatic yes.  The nagging question begging an answer is what to do about it.

Known in the scientific community as Pterois volitans, lionfish are typically one-pound, foot-long, reef bottom feeders with venomous spines that have no natural predators, and are starting to overpopulate, damaging the ecological balance of the reefs off our North Carolina coast.

Could this be an ecological disaster that will resonate in due time in the commercial and sport fishing community?  Absolutely.  Experts theorize lionfish will continue to multiply greatly and impact reef life negatively.

2 comments:

  1. Much ado about nothing. Fisherman and diners in other parts of the east coast have already learned that lionfish, when cooked, taste just as delicious as Red Snapper.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, but they may detrimentally effect the native fish.

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