Our Environment

Our Ocean not only dominates the landscape of our planet but provides Earth with an unprecedented diversity of life. Even with the vastness of our marine environment and the connectivity between all bodies of water, there are many different eco-systems each one representing some incredibly diverse marine life forms that normally interact in perfect harmony and balance. As our world becomes more inter-connected in modern day times through travel and commerce, some alien species become released, either intentionally or accidentally, into non-native environments. Many times, these new introductions can't adapt to different environmental conditions, unfamiliar predators, and foreign parsites and disease. However, occasionally, the new visitors will show extreme versatility, superior strength, and tremendous fertility as compared to the local fauna. Thus is the case with the Lionfish...the first invasion by a marine fish in US history. 

FACTS:

-Originally from the Indo-Pacific, Lionfish have no controlling predators.

-The Lionfish has a very rapid Reproduction Rate. It is capable of producing 15,000-30,000 eggs every 4 days (~2 million eggs per year).

-The Lionfish has a voracious appetite. They are consuming native marine life (fish and crustaceans) at unsustainable rates and causing significant declines.

More Information: Reef.org & Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission