[Coral-List] Lionfish in the news

[Steve Mussman]

   Doug,
   I believe the article raises more questions than it answers.
   The most obvious issue may be related to the size of the reef areas involved
   in the study:
   "A typical reef site, which is about a third the size of a basketball court"
   . . ONE THIRD THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL COURT?
   How does a study carried out on such infinitesimal areas of reef apply to
   the issue as a whole?  It is one thing to control lionfish on these small
   parcels, but how do you apply the same techniques effectively to vast areas
   of reefs many of which are at depths below which divers can even access?
   The  article also implies that the main reason for grouper and snapper
   declines is lionfish . . . wonder how they came to that conclusion?
   Steve
   -----Original Message-----
   >From: Douglas Fenner
   >Sent: Jan 25, 2014 8:33 PM
   >To: coral list
   >Subject: [Coral-List] Lionfish in the news
   >
   >Title: "Invasive Lionfish, the Kings of the Caribbean, may have met their
   >match." (put the emphasis on "may have") I noted the statement at the end
   >of the article that invasive species now cost the U.S.A. $120 billion
   >dollars a year. That's "billion" with a "B." (many or most of the species
   >that add to that cost are terrestrial or fresh water)
   >
   >http://news.yahoo.com/invasive-lionfish-kings-caribbean-may-met-match-01160
   0208.html
   >
   >Older stories:
   >
   >"Caribbean's native predators unable to stop aggressive lionfish population
   >growth"
   >
   >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130711172538.htm
   >
   >The IndoPacific Lionfish Invasion (tons of info)
   >
   >http://www.coris.noaa.gov/exchanges/lionfish/
   >
   >REEF lionfish research program
   >Be sure to check the expansion of the lionfish in the map on this page, the
   >expansion clearly continues, now covers the entire US eastern seaboard,
   >Bermuda, Caribbean to the eastern end, and Gulf of Mexico. It takes a
   >minute to load, but it continues to 2013.
   >
   >http://www.reef.org/lionfish
   >
   >--
   >Douglas Fenner
   >Contractor with Ocean Associates, Inc.
   >PO Box 7390
   >Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA
   >
   >phone 1 684 622-7084
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