Wave Magazine Online Jacksonville University News Hub
They are a marvelous sight to behold. They are delicious. And they need to go.
They’re lionfish – a venomous, invasive species that is expanding in population and wreaking havoc on the underwater ecosystem by eating virtually everything in its path, Dr. Quinton White, Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute executive director, told Action News Jax (WTEV CBS-47 and WAWS FOX-30) in a story broadcast on Friday, Feb. 15.
“I don’t think any of us were prepared for the explosion that occurred in the population,” White told Action News Jax.
Lionfish are characterized by red, white and black bands, impressive pectoral fins and venomous spiky spines. While lionfish are tasty, they rarely are on restaurant menus because catching them is costly and labor-intensive. Meanwhile, as a top predator, lionfish consume snapper, grouper and other species that not only are popular at restaurants, but that are a necessary component of keeping ocean reefs healthy.
In an effort to harvest as many lionfish in the area as possible for genetic testing and to reduce the species’ population, a lionfish tournament will be held through April in northeast Florida . While White thinks it might help, he told Action News Jax that must be done to learn about the species.
“They’re going to cause problems for a long, long time. We will never get rid of them,” White told the TV station.
Here is the Action News Jax story: