Lionfish are making themselves at home in US waters

The US Geological Survey says the spread of lionfish along the U.S. eastern seaboard, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean is unprecedented.
Lionfish are now the first documented non-native marine fish which has established a self-sustaining population in the region.
More than 30 species of non-native marine fishes have been sighted off the coast of Florida alone, but until now none of these have demonstrated the ability to survive, reproduce, and spread successfully.
Although lionfishes originally came from the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, there are now self-sustaining populations spreading along the western Atlantic coast of the U.S. and throughout the Caribbean.
Invasive lionfishes were first reported off Florida’s Atlantic coast in the mid-1980s, but did not become numerous in the region until 2000.  
Since then, the lionfish population has rapidly spread north through the Atlantic Ocean and south throughout most of the Caribbean.
The spreading population is now working its way around the Gulf of Mexico.
It is not yet clear exactly how the new invasive species will affect reefs in this part of the world but there are great concerns about lionfishes’ predatory behavior, which may negatively impact native species.
Fishermen should be able to recognize lionfish pretty easily if they catch one.
Lionfish have red and white stripes and fanlike fins that resemble a lion's mane.
They also have a tall row of spines that you need to be careful about because they are extremely poisonous.
The poison is not fatal to humans, though it is supposed to be extremely painful, causing headaches, vomiting, and breathing difficulties.


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