[Coral-List] Mediterranean lesson RE: overfishing lionfish??

Sarah Frias-Torres sfrias_torres at hotmail.com
Tue Jan 25 15:02:30 EST 2011


There is a  tiny ocean, also known as the Mediterranean Sea, where an alien Caribbean algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) once escaped (from a very, very famous public aquarium). At first, all those claiming to eliminate the alien algae were confronted by those who asked to wait and see. "In the end things will get balanced" they said.
The alien, toxic, and inedible algae took over the endemic seagrass beds of Posidonia oceanica. Our unique Posidonias, forming a miniature underwater rainforest, busting with all forms of life, were no match for the invader. Today, where the Posidonias used to thrive, we have death and silence, all blanketed by a monoculture of Caulerpa taxifolia.
May this be a warning of what is coming if we show any mercy to the invader lionfish.

Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Scholar &Schmidt Research Vessel Institute Postdoctoral Fellowhttp://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorresOcean Research & Conservation Association 1420 Seaway Drive, 2nd Floor Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA http://www.teamorca.org



> Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 11:47:43 -0500
> From: jim.hendee at noaa.gov
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] overfishing lionfish??
> 
> 
> What a sad commentary that all of us coral reef conservation-oriented
> folks are trying to find ways to totally extinguish a species on the
> reef.  Maybe we should just re-set the clock and call them endemic, as
> of today, and just record how it all turns out "in the end."  The world
> is upside down any more...
> 
> 
> 
> On 1/25/11 2:57 AM, Debrot, Dolfi wrote:
> > Good point Alina, 
> >
> > Only that in terms of basic population dynamic characteristics this fish lends itself much less well to overfishing than the big groupers and snappers which we indeed wiped out in a few decades. 
> >
> > Efforts to commercialize introduced mongoose and rats as human food in various parts of the world (also in the Netherlands and the Caribbean), however delicious they may be, have mustered little following and even less results. 
> >
> > But, its worth a try....
> >
> >  
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Szmant, Alina [mailto:szmanta at uncw.edu] 
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 12:08 AM
> > To: Debrot, Dolfi; 'Melanie McField'; Todd Barber
> > Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > Subject: RE: hunting lionfish
> >
> > If a whole new fishery is developed for it, we should be able to overfish it just as we've done with all the other edible reef fishes...
> >
> > *************************************************************************
> > Dr. Alina M. Szmant
> > Professor of Marine Biology
> > Center for Marine Science and Dept of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington
> > 5600 Marvin Moss Ln
> > Wilmington NC 28409 USA
> > tel:  910-962-2362  fax: 910-962-2410  cell: 910-200-3913 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 Debrot, Dolfi
> > Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 8:56 AM
> > To: 'Melanie McField'; Todd Barber
> > Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > Subject: Re: [Coral-List] hunting lionfish
> >
> > Dear all,
> >
> > Been following the correspondence and developments on Caribbean lionfish for some time now. Keep in mind: the lionfish hasn't even gotten warmed up yet! But at the rate they are going now already we could probably sink all our manpower, funds and effort into this problem for the next century without even creating a dent...! 
> >
> > Don't mean to discourage the hunters (it is a great sport btw!)...but I can't more agree with the message that somebody else flopped by the other day: "The lionfish is here... get used to it"  :(
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Al Debrot
> > Institute for Marine and Ecosystem Studies Wageningen UR P.O.Box 57, 1780AB Den Helder The Netherlands dolfi.debrot at wur.nl www.imares.wur.nl
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Melanie McField
> > Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 10:13 PM
> > To: Todd Barber
> > Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > Subject: Re: [Coral-List] mutton snapper eats lionfish in Roatan
> >
> > Todd et al,
> >
> >  I guess I could have given more background. We have been getting many reports over the last six months (or more) of lionfish being eaten by groupers and morays from many different locations (after being speared and with no apparent effect on the fish that ate it). This snapper stayed with us for another 15-20mins and appeared fine.  Many of these fish that have been eating the lionfish are known residents to the dive guides and they are apparently still out on their reef after weeks/months of eating lionfish (from reports we have received - and yes it's all anecdotal). But this was the first time a mutton snapper is known to eat one. So now we know its possible and for a not so large one. So I think his gives some hope.  I think that if the local predators can come to think of lionfish as potential food, then they can figure out how to eat them live... the lionfish are sitting out in the open and are unafraid.  Anyway, the groupers and snappers of the Indopacific seem to h
>  an
> >    dle their consumption - so to me it seems worth testing the feasibility. I suppose it is meddling with nature but so was their (accidental) introduction in the Caribbean. There just aren't enough human hunters to keep populations in check - the fish need to learn to prey upon them too.. The Cayman teams report that 'training' them to eat speared fish has lead to some predation on live lionfish. Maybe someone in
> > Cayman can get lucky and video that one!    Anyway, this is all just my
> > opinion - I think the jury is still out.
> >
> > Melanie
> > On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 2:46 PM, Todd Barber <reefball at reefball.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Dear Melanie,
> >>
> >> It is not a good idea to feed local fish speared lionfish.  First and 
> >> foremost, you have no idea if the fish that eats the lionfish is going 
> >> to catch a barb internally and end up dieing from the toxic reaction 
> >> at a later point.  Secondly, teaching any wild animal to follow 
> >> spearfishermen to obtain a meal is asking for future trouble (both to 
> >> humans and for the wild fish that becomes dependent on humans for 
> >> food).
> >>
> >> A much better practice is to remove the spines (with surgical snips) 
> >> and carry the lionfish  back out of the water.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Todd R Barber
> >> Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation
> >> 3305 Edwards Court
> >> Greenville, NC 27858
> >> 252-353-9094 (Direct)
> >> 941-720-7549 (Cell & Goggle Voice)
> >> toddbarber Skype
> >>
> >> www,reefball.org (Reef Ball Foundation) www.artificialreefs.org 
> >> (Designed Artificial Reefs) www.reefbeach.com (Reefs for Beach
> >> Erosion) www.eternalreefs.com (Memorial Reefs) www.reefball.com (Reef 
> >> Ball Foundation)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 2:54 PM, Melanie McField 
> >> <mcfield at healthyreefs.org> wrote:
> >>>  Dear Colleagues,
> >>>
> >>> Last week I had an amazing dive in Roatan during which a nassau 
> >>> grouper
> >> and
> >>> mutton snapper closely followed our fearless lionfish hunter - and 
> >>> the mutton snapper actually ended up eating the lionfish (after it 
> >>> was
> >> speared
> >>> and offered).  I think this record will increase the number of 
> >>> species
> >> that
> >>> are confirmed to consume it.  The video is on Youtube and our new
> >> facebook
> >>> site and will soon be on our website (www.healthyreefs.org).  Feel 
> >>> free
> >> to
> >>> use the video as needed. The summary information is detailed below 
> >>> the links.
> >>>
> >>> See the video at:
> >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3oGVWvt7E0
> >>>
> >>> We also have it on on facebook and are starting a new suite of 
> >>> activities
> >> on
> >>> facebook... so 'friend' us to keep informed about marine 
> >>> conservation throughout the MAR.
> >>>
> >>> This is the link
> >>>
> >> http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=104509826290815&saved#!/vide
> >> o/video.php?v=104509826290815&comments
> >>>
> >>> Mutton Snapper recorded eating a lionfish
> >>>
> >>> January 12, 2011 West End Wall, Roatan, Honduras
> >>>
> >>> Location:  16.26905 N   86.60288 W    Depth: 80 ft
> >>>
> >>> In the linked video you can see licensed lionfish hunter and Healthy
> >> Reefs
> >>> Coordinator in Honduras, Ian Drysdale, feed  a  speared (and dead)
> >> lionfish
> >>> to a mutton snapper, as an interested nassau grouper looks on.  The 
> >>> video was taken by Melanie McField, Director of the Healthy Reefs Initiate.
> >> Still
> >>> photos were taken by Marisol Rueda, Healthy Reefs Coordinator in Mexico...
> >>>  The
> >>> incident occurred about 15 minutes into the dive. The Nassau grouper
> >>  began
> >>> following Ian about 5-10 minutes into the dive and the mutton 
> >>> snapper
> >> joined
> >>> along shortly after. Both fish seemed particularly interested in
> >> following
> >>> Ian and watching the spear keenly.  Spearfishing is banned in HN and 
> >>> the fish show no fear of the spear or the divers in general.  In 
> >>> response to
> >> the
> >>> lionfish problem authorities are allowing managers like the Roatan 
> >>> Marine Park to license certain trained individuals to use special 
> >>> lionfish
> >> spears
> >>> to remove lionfish from the reef inside and outside the Roatan 
> >>> marine
> >> park.
> >>>  Both fish were approximately 30-40cm length. Dive guides from 
> >>> Roatan
> >> also
> >>> report that the following species have been seen consuming speared
> >> lionfish:
> >>> groupers (several species), snappers (including mutton and
> >>> yellowtail) spotted and green morays, and grey reef sharks.  Some 
> >>> plan to attempt to train the fish to consume live lionfish, as has 
> >>> been reported from
> >> Cayman.
> >>> --
> >>> Melanie McField, PhD
> >>> Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, Smithsonian 
> >>> Institution
> >>> 1755 Coney Dr, Belize City, Belize, Central America
> >>> tel 501-223-4898   cell 501-610-4899
> >>> email: mcfield at healthyreefs.org  www.healthyreefs.org
> >>>
> >>> Join the International Society for Reef Studies www.fit.edu/isrs/
> >>  > _______________________________________________
> >>> Coral-List mailing list
> >>> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >>> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Melanie McField, PhD
> > Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, Smithsonian Institution
> > 1755 Coney Dr, Belize City, Belize, Central America
> > tel 501-223-4898   cell 501-610-4899
> > email: mcfield at healthyreefs.org  www.healthyreefs.org
> >
> > Join the International Society for Reef Studies www.fit.edu/isrs/ _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
> >
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