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Invasive lionfish threaten native fish and the environment in U.S.
Atlantic coastal waters

LIONFISH are native to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, but are now established along the eastern coast of the U.S. from Florida to North Carolina. They are also regularly found throughout the Bahamas and northern Caribbean, and have been sighted as far south as Nicaragua and as far east as the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How did the fish get to the Atlantic? While the exact cause is unknown, it's likely that humans provided a helping hand. Experts speculate that people have been dumping unwanted lionfish from home aquariums into the Atlantic Ocean for up to 25 years.

Since lionfish are not native to Atlantic waters, they have very few predators. They are also voracious predators that feed on small shrimp and large fish, including the young of important commercial fish species such as snapper and grouper.

Between 2000 and 2003, 49 lionfish sightings were reported at 16 different shipwrecks and natural hard-bottom locations. During a summer 2004 research expedition, NOAA scientists collected 155 lionfish at 19 different locations off the North Carolina coast alone. The jump in numbers and distribution over such a short time, plus sightings of juveniles smaller than those sold for aquaria, indicates that the lionfish is reproducing in the Atlantic Ocean. This marks the first time that a western Pacific fish has populated the waters of the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Unfortunately, NOAA researchers have concluded that invasive lionfish populations will continue to grow and cannot be eliminated using conventional methods. Marine invaders are nearly impossible to eradicate once established.

How lionfish will affect native fish populations and commercial fishing industries has yet to be determined. What is known is that non-native species can dramatically affect native ecosystems and local fishing economies. Experts are carefully studying these invaders to better understand the role their role in, and potential threat to, Atlantic Ocean ecosystems.

If you spot a lionfish, avoid it and report it. These fish have venomous spines that can be very painful. Scientists are also actively studying these fish to better understand the potential threat that lionfish pose to key reef and commercial fish species. Learning more about the habits and preferences of lionfish in non-native waters also helps experts determine where to look for these invasive fish.