[Coral-List] Lionfish in the Atlantic

[Karen Meyer]

Has it been ruled out that a larval fish (or many) were released in ship ballast?
Karen Meyer> From: reefball at reefball.com> To: szmanta at uncw.edu; dfenner at blueskynet.as; craig at caribe.net; coralfarmguam at yahoo.com; delbeek at waquarium.org> Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:29:00 -0500> CC: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Lionfish in the Atlantic> > Hi JC,> > For what it is worth, I recall seeing a review of a scientific publication > in Science News a while back that genetic information had indeed been > collected and it was determined the Lionfish (in NC and Bahamas) were from a > single mother....therefore pointing a likely introduction source as an > aquarium release.> > I believe the conclusion was that the release must have been in NC and not > Miami as originally thought. I would suggest a literature search and review > of the original article.> > There has been rumor here in NC that the original release was from a dive > shop employee trying to make an exciting dive destination (this may be only > urban legend).> > Thanks,> > Todd R. Barber> Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation> 252-353-9094> > Skype name: toddbarber> Cell Phone 941-720-7549> > 3305 Edwards Court> Greenville, NC 27858> > Inbox protected by ClearMyMail> www.ClearMyMail.com {c2509d95650d4b87a5a76fe30c468363}> > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <delbeek at waquarium.org>> To: "Szmant, Alina" <szmanta at uncw.edu>; "Douglas Fenner" > <dfenner at blueskynet.as>; "Craig Lilyestrom" <craig at caribe.net>; "Lee > Goldman" <coralfarmguam at yahoo.com>> Cc: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:46 PM> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Lionfish in the Atlantic> > > >I would think that doing some genetic work on these fish to determine how> > closely related they are would help in determining their possible origin.> > Blaming the aquarium trade for this situation is all too convenient and > > lacks> > any objective evidence. If these fish came from aquarium releases, then > > one> > would expect all these fish off the east coast to be pretty closely > > related.> > The sheer numbers of fish being reported indicates to me the possibility > > of a> > much larger breeding population as being the more likely source, then a > > few> > aquarium releases. Hopefully a genetic study would shed more light on > > this??> >> > I don't know that gobies and blennies would be as much affected as > > juveniles> > that school like grunts, cardinalfish, snappers etc ... these are the > > types of> > fish I have seen lionfish stalking most often, not benthic species.> >> > Back in the 50's I think it was, the state of Hawaii imported Peacock > > Groupers> > (Cephalopholis argus) into Hawaii to create another food fish source for> > anglers and spear fishermen. Unfortunately, these fish are prone to > > ciguatera> > and so are not hunted much. Similarly, the state introduced Bluestriped> > snappers (Lutjanus kasmira) decades ago, which have since exploded in > > number> > and now are suspected of out competing local deepwater snappers for food.> > These were both mass introductions that resulted in breeding populations. > > No> > one has commented on how these introductions affected local fish > > populations,> > especially tropical fish targeted by collectors. There have been several> > sightings of tropical fish in Hawaiian waters that were most likely the > > result> > of aquarium releases or perhaps premeditated introductions (Primarily> > angelfish and surgeonfish/tangs), but I don't think ANY of these have > > exploded> > in number or created significant breeding populations in the Hawaiian > > Islands> > like we are seeing off the east coast of the US with lionfish. The lone> > exception may be the Marshall Islands form of Flame angel off of West > > Hawaii> > but I am not 100% sure of these reports. Again, genetic work might help > > clear> > this up.> >> > At least in the state of Hawaii, to the best of my knowledge, only fish > > that> > were released in LARGE numbers have establish themselves in significant> > numbers in the Hawaiian Islands.> >> > Aloha!> > J.C. Delbeek> >> > Disclaimer: The above is just my opinion and does necessarily reflect > > those of> > my employer.> >> >> > "Szmant, Alina" <szmanta at uncw.edu> said:> >> >> The lion fish here off of NC are everywhere offshore. And I saw a dive> >> article about there abundance elsewhere in Caribbean. They are> >> definitely established in the Atlantic, and can now be considered> >> invasive. They'll probably have a major effect on small reef fishes> >> such as gobies and blennies.> >>> >> *******************************************************************> >> Dr. Alina M. Szmant> >> Coral Reef Research Group> >> UNCW-Center for Marine Science> >> 5600 Marvin K. Moss Ln> >> Wilmington NC 28409> >> Tel: (910)962-2362 & Fax: (910)962-2410> >> Cell: (910)200-3913> >> email: szmanta at uncw.edu> >> Web Page: http://people.uncw.edu/szmanta> >> ******************************************************************> >>> >> -----Original Message-----> >> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> >> [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Douglas> >> Fenner> >> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 10:07 PM> >> To: Craig Lilyestrom; Lee Goldman> >> Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> >> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Live coral trade - Philippine exports> >>> >> Good point. Currently, several Pacific fish species are being found in> >> Florida and elsewhere, particularly Lionfish, and the numbers of the> >> latter> >> at least indicate that the genie is out of the bottle, it sounds to me> >> like> >> an introduced species that is going to be invasive. They were released> >> by> >> people from their aquariums into the ocean. I hear from aquarium people> >>> >> that there are a variety of diseases and parasites that show up in> >> aquaria,> >> including coral diseases I believe. I could easily imagine a disease or> >>> >> parasite, say on coral, coming from the Pacific, being released from an> >> aquarium in Florida, and having potentially severe effects there and> >> throughout the Caribbean. Doesn't seem too far fetched. -Doug> >>> >> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > Coral-List mailing list> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list > > _______________________________________________> Coral-List mailing list> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list