|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
That is what Denis said and did. I am amazed at how fast they have apparently spread. It would be good to see the article if you can find it. Are you still in Peru? Must not be and yes it is really hot!
__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
I just came across a short online reporting form for lionfish sightings,
http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/nccos/ccfhr...ishreport.aspx If you have seen any please help NOAA to better understand what is going on with the invasion. A short video clip about the invasion and quite a bit of other information appears at: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/educati...h/welcome.html A lot of good info appears at: http://www.coastalscience.noaa.gov/d...ionfish_ia.pdf
__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 08-01-2007 at 06:44 AM. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Very interesting stuff.
I have to claim ignorance as a young guy on the idea of exotics and competition with native species. Back when I was in high school I had a salt water fish tank. When things in it got too big for my tank I released some to the Gulf. The fish stores wouldn't take them back, so I released of couple of exotic moray eels to the Gulf by a huge rock formation near DeSoto fishing pier (we called them snowflake eels) as well as panther grouper. I included a pic. Do you ever see any of those while diving? SO many people buy those panther groupers when they are small, then they grow really fast and eat everything, that I can't be the only one to have released one. I wonder if they have established populations in some areas. Hard to believe some exotics are introduced on purpose by agencies for one reason or another and of course you know about larval inverts and ship ballast water. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel Last edited by Skyway Scott; 01-02-2008 at 03:44 PM. |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Haven't seen the eel before but quite a few soapfish similar to what is in the photo. Haven't heard of Panther Groupers before though. Tons of exotics have been introduced all over the place worldwide for a long time. Some don't make it, some cope while still others take over. It sounds like the lionfish may be well entrenched already.
Was just talking to someone over on North Andros, he said they had lionfish, enough to make it the national Bahamian fish. Noticed the image below on a site from the Exuma's. I haven't seen anything in the literature yet that indicates the invasion is as widespread as this. Looks like the lionfish may be here to stay at this point, warts and all. Have difficulty believing all this came from six fish that might have survived a 15 ft. plus storm surge that bashed through a house in Miami 15 years ago. From: Bahamas Diving - Custom Dive Charters in Exuma and Nassau Bahamas
__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Yeah. I am sure that thousands of people have released lionfish from their home aquariums. "Panther grouper" is actually the pet store name for the fish in the photo. It is indeed a type of soapfish. It loses its spots and looks rather dull as an adult.
|
#6
|
|||
|
|||
actually most of these fish likly came from the ballast tanks from in bound freighters. This is also the case for damaging plant life as well. The large freighters generally carry around 1 million - 5 million gallons of water used as ballast. There are ships that actally carrry up to 20 million gallons! This water is taken on very near to any port that they depart from. I know that SF Bay is suffering from some sort of weed that was imported this way and it has no growth control.
I'll pop a lyon fish or two if i see them! Kent |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Hey Kent,
Bilge water certainly is one of the theories in play currently. It certainly has done serious documented damage in fresh water areas like the Great Lakes. That is in the marine area of the Bay? I had heard of a number of fresh water impacts but yours may be the first saltwater issue that I have come across. Yes, popping them is certainly one option. We are very adept at depleting desirable species, clearly enough. Maybe we can do a number on this not so welcome species that may well take out snapper and grouper fry.
__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
I just redid the video including content from both Bimini and Andros
I have actually learned how to process video sequences into something, sort of. Took long enough, sigh. Anyway, I have processed some of the lionfish sequences into a processed clip and have uploaded it with clearer compression on Vimeo resulting in a better video I think. Check it out above in the original posting on page one. It also appears below: CLICK the image to start the video
__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 03-27-2008 at 02:41 PM. |
|
|