Divers Catch More Than 100 Lionfish Off Lower Keys
KEY WEST (CBS4) - Divers collected more than one hundred Indo-Pacific red lionfish in the Lower Keys during the final derby to reduce the population of the invasive species in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
On Saturday, 109 lionfish were caught which brought the grand total to 659 when added to previous hauls from round up derbies staged in Key Largo and Marathon.
Lad Akins, of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, said unsuspecting pet owners released the nonnative fish into the Atlantic, where they have no natural predators.
The growing number of lionfish has impacted the populations of indigenous fish, because they eat important juvenile reef species such as grouper and snapper.
The mane-like assemblage of spines that give the fish its lion-like appearance are tipped in poison that can cause severe pain, swelling, nausea, headaches and convulsions. However, the fish can be safely handled once the spines have been removed and many people fillet lionfish and cook them up just like any other fish.
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