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The invasive lionfish are quickly out competing and eating native fish in the South Florida waters. Because the lionfish have no natural predators in the Atlantic, and can quickly reproduce, they are able to out compete other fish for food and space.
This conservation-focused event is part of a larger program to tackle the lionfish problem while informing the public about other apex predators that threaten South Florida’s reef ecosystem and the commercial and recreational fisheries that depend on it. The Apex Predator Summer Showdown will be held on August 29–30 in Deerfield Beach, a well-known diving destination.
These fish originated in the Indo-Pacific and have been spotted in the waters of South Florida for over two decades. Many people believe that the original lionfish were released by aquarium owners and have since spread to the rest of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. A single female lionfish can release up to two million eggs per year.
While posing an ecological threat, the lionfish is also an economic threat to the commercial fisheries, the sport fishing industry, and reef-dependent tourism. All of these industries generate billions of dollars annually, and the lionfish directly competes with species of commercial value such as grouper and snapper for food and space. Because of the fish’s venomous spines, specialized training is required for fishermen to safely remove them from the water.
Besides removal of lionfish from reefs, the event will also raise awareness and promote local participation in removal efforts throughout the year.
Several South Florida restaurants have put lionfish on their menus to try to create a market for the invasive species, which can be caught and eaten. For the two days of the Apex Predator Summer Showdown, competitors will be seeking to pull the largest number of the fish from Deerfield Beach reefs.
Source: WSVN 7 Miami
