Researcher from Oregon State University recently discovered the disturbing existence of big, predatory lionfish in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which pose a serious threat to the marine population there.
Last month, researchers conducted their first expedition using a deep-diving submersible to study the Atlantic Ocean lionfish invasion. Though they were aware of the existence of a lionfish population in the deep waters of the ocean, researchers were surprised by their number and size.
"We expected some populations of lionfish at that depth, but their numbers and size were a surprise," said Stephanie Green, the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow in the College of Science at Oregon State University, who participated in the dives said in a press release. "This was kind of an 'Ah hah!' moment. It was immediately clear that this is a new frontier in the lionfish crisis, and that something is going to have to be done about it. Seeing it up-close really brought home the nature of the problem."
Big fish are known to reproduce faster than their smaller counterparts and lionfish have the capacity to cover long distances and move to various depths. Green and her colleagues found a thriving population of lionfish around a sunken ship at 300 feet below the water's surface. While lionfish are typically between 12 and 15 inches long, the lionfish discovered by researchers on this expedition were at least 16 inches long.
Lionfish are native to tropical Indo-Pacific waters and were first introduced into the Atlantic by humans in the 1990s. The thriving population has caused some serious concerns in the Atlantic as they have voracious appetites, gobbling up native fish and competing with other species for food resources. An earlier study by the University showed that lionfish in the Atlantic have been known to reduce native fish populations by up to 80 percent.
Lionfish attack other fish by using its large, fan-like fins to herd smaller fish into a corner and then swallow them in a rapid strike. The venom released by their sharp spines can cause extremely painful stings to humans. They have a strong defense mechanism and don't fear any other marine animal. What make matters worse it that the lionfish have no natural enemies in Atlantic waters and not even sharks can curb red lionfish populations in Caribbean reefs, reports an earlier study.
"A lionfish will eat almost any fish smaller than it is," Green said in a statement. "Regarding the large fish we observed in the submersible dives, a real concern is that they could migrate to shallower depths as well and eat many of the fish there. And the control measures we're using at shallower depths - catch them and let people eat them - are not as practical at great depth."
