Venomous Non-Native Lionfish Spreading Across Atlantic Coast

Indo-Pacific Lionfish. Photo courtesy of NOAA ecologist James Morris.

Placing divers, fisherman, and a large part of the Atlantic Coast’s ecosystems at increasing risk is the population growth of the non-native venomous Indo-Pacific Lionfish.

Now established here, the lionfish are native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, according to scientists at the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, which first discovered them in North Carolina in 2000.

There’s speculation that the lionfish have been present off the east coast of Florida since the mid-1990s, most probably released there by amateur aquarists who didn’t want them anymore.

Courtesy of ccfhr.noaa.gov.

“We are finding that the lionfish are spending their winters from North Carolina to the Bahamas, with juveniles found as far north as Rhode Island during the summer months, where the potential for successful survival during the winter months is not possible due to the cold water temperatures,” said James Morris, an ecologist at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.

A threat to swimmers and divers are the spines of the fish. All of the spines are venomous, and in the event of being stung, NOAA recommends that any broken spines should be removed, if possible, and the affected areas soaked in non-scalding hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. The venom is counteracted by heat.

NOAA also recommends that in absence of hot water, the presence of a hot pack should always on-hand. Further, the venom can cause a lot of pain, so swallowing an over-the-counter analgesic pain killer in addition to the heat is allowable, according to a spokesperson from the Aquatic Toxins Hotline at the Florida Poison Information Center. The hotline can be reached 24/7 at 888-232-8635.

To make it absolutely clear, the analgesic is a secondary measure for comfort. The heat is to break up the venom. In addition, serious adverse reactions or secondary infections can occur from lionfish stings, so after these first aide measures are taken, a medical professional should be seen as soon as possible.

Beyond this danger to people, the lionfish also cause a threat to the ecosystems that they are increasingly invading. From prior experience dealing with invasive aquatic species, Mr. Morris says that, “if they can establish themselves, they can either prey upon or displace resident organism, thereby altering the functioning of an ecosystem.”

Colonial Tunicate. Stock photo.

Mr. Morris cited the invasive Colonial Tunicate (a small, rounded, orange grape-like animal) that has steadily been increasing in New England waters and posing a threat to native species such as sea scallops.

Lionfish eggs. Courtesy of NOAA ecologist James Morris.

NOAA is currently conducting research on the lionfish to better understand their distribution, density, life history, temperature tolerances, and genetics. It’s already known that they reach sexual maturity within two years, and spawn multiple times during a season. Each spawn can produce up to 30,000 eggs.

Currently, the “only effective elimination method” is to send trained divers to remove the lionfish, according to NOAA, qualifying that this only works in small contained areas.

Among NOAA’s big worries is that the lionfish will invade its Gray Reef or Florida Keys national marine sanctuaries. “We are currently considering early detection and rapid response efforts to keep the lionfish out of the sanctuaries,” said Mr. Morris, cautioning that, “It’s unclear right now if these attempts will be successful.”

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