FWC Encourages Fishermen to Hunt Invasive Lionfish in Florida Waters

Lionfish don't seem like a threat. With their delicate, waving fins and striped bodies, they look peaceful on reefs. During the day, you can often see them nestled beneath an overhang, remaining still as they lie in wait for passing fish.

Don't be fooled, though; these fish are some of the deadliest on coral reefs and in tropical waters. They've infested Florida's coastal areas, gobbling down native fish at a prodigious pace. Their delicate fins, so beautiful to look at, are actually poisonous. Now, the state of Florida is fighting back. State wildlife officials want to permanently change rules in order to make it easier to catch lionfish in Florida waters.

Lionfish are invasive species, native to the Indo-Pacific and Western Pacific where they prey on small fish and invertebrates. It's thought that the fish was first introduced to Florida waters in 1992, either intentionally or accidentally. Because of their appearance, lionfish are often kept in aquariums. It's possible that someone dumped aquarium water with live lionfish eggs or juveniles still within it, or intentionally released their pets into the ocean. Since then, though, these fish have made their way along the east coast, and can be encountered as far north as Rhode Island during the summer months.

Because lionfish have no natural reef predators and because native fish don't know how to respond to these carnivorous creatures, lionfish have been able to reproduce rapidly. This, in turn, has caused native species of reef fish to decline.  

In an effort to help cull the population of these fish, officials have encouraged divers and fishermen to hunt them. In fact, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission put a temporary rule in place last August that waived the recreation fishing license requirement when targeting lionfish. In addition, the agency removed bag limits that prevent fishermen from taking more than 100 pounds of the invasive species. Using equipment such as pole spears, handheld nets and Hawaiian slings, these hunters scooped up lionfish by the score. In order to help the effort, some chefs have even developed recipes centered around the colorful fish.

Now, though, the FWC wants to make it even easier for hunters. They're planning on making these changes permanent during their June meeting, according to the Associated Press. Whether or not this will remove the species from Florida waters, though, remains to be seen.

Want to see the distribution of lionfish? Check out the United States Geological Survey's interactive map here.