Red Lionfish: A “Super-Invader” for Supper?
In the world of art-practice this creature is one of the most photographed, filmed, painted and generally studied for its beautiful, delicate and visually exotic body. When you look at a lionfish, it is so luminous, graceful and breath-taking that it is hard to imagine such a creature could be so harmful to humans and other species.
The Red lionfish has been named an invasive species, taking over the smaller fish and other crustaceans in the Atlantic ocean. Scientists reported that lionfish were invading the Atlantic Ocean at an increased rate they were worried that the consequences could be grave. A year ago (October 21, 2013) UPI released a report that this native of the tropical waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, was not only venomous but it was also a fast-reproducing fish that had no known predators. The lionfish can produce 30,000 to 40,000 eggs every few days. They are aggressive eaters that will eat almost anything and the lionfish can destroy 90 percent of a reef.
If you found this story disturbing, read the next part.
In an article written for the Coastal Heritage magazine Editor John H. Tibbetts wrote; a group of strategist made up of fishermen, divers, chefs, educators, conservationists and scientists have come up with a solution to rid the lionfish in Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands and Florida Keys.
The strategy is simple: the only way to get rid of the invasive species they said was to harvest and eat it.
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