[Coral-List] Control of lionfish

[Tupper, Mark (WorldFish)]

Andrew,

I think that is quite possibly the case. Lionfish appear to be habitat generalists - they are just as likely to appear around artificial structures (wrecks, piers, rigs, etc.) as on reefs - anything that provides shade and a surface against which to trap their prey.

Mark


-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov on behalf of andrew ross
Sent: Wed 5/6/2009 9:42 PM
To: Coral List
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Control of lionfish
 

Will and Mark,
My question was a little leading- do you suppose that the lack of this elaborate/extensive refuge habitat may somehow be facilitating the success/spread of this invader and its eventual impact, particularly on artisanal reef-fisheries?
To rephrase Mark's observations- a tractor can't corner rabbits against a cattle fence.
A


--- On Wed, 5/6/09, Tupper, Mark (WorldFish) <M.Tupper at CGIAR.ORG> wrote:

> From: Tupper, Mark (WorldFish) <M.Tupper at CGIAR.ORG>
> Subject: RE: [Coral-List] Control of lionfish
> To: andyroo_of72 at yahoo.com, "Coral List" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 2:06 PM

> Not usually. I mostly see lionfish hunting along overhangs
> and caves in the forereef or reef wall. They use their
> pectoral fins in a "herding" technique to trap
> small fish. I think this works best along wider surfaces
> than most branching corals would provide.
> 
> Mark Tupper
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov on behalf of
> andrew ross
> Sent: Wed 5/6/2009 6:24 AM
> To: Coral List
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Control of lionfish
>  
> 
> Regarding those stressed reefs, do lionfish hunt among the
> branching coral (staghorn-type) thickets on their native
> reefs? 
> Andrew
> 
> 



      
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