Lionfish Threatens Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

This voracious predators (Lionfish) now threatens the Caribbean coast

Back in June, 2009,  Costa Rica scientists were ranting and raving how they discovered a new species of Lionfish, and almost a year later they now have second thoughts.

As protesters, protested at the Corte Suprema de Justicia on Earth Day, of why Corte Suprema gave a green light to reopen a Gold Mine that threatened water contamination and wildlife, eco-scientists on the Caribbean coast are trying to figured out how to education people on a new threat, the tropical Lionfish.

The Lionfish are also known as the Turkey Fish, Scorpion or Fire Fish.   They are notable for their extremely long and separated spines, and have a generally striped appearance, red, green, navy green, brown, orange, yellow, black, maroon, or white.

This predatory fish from the Pacific Ocean has invaded the Caribbean region and threatens everything from coral reef ecosystems to the local economies.  Limon,  Costa Rica’s economical strong hold because of its port, the  remainder of the coast pretty much relies on tourism generated income of  fishing and diving.  One group has called Lionfish, “A plague of Biblical proportions,” that may cause the Caribbean region to suffer.

Obviously the concern is the disruption of  the delicate ecological balance food chain where it threatens food fish for the locals, and colorful tropical species that drivers like to see.

Lionfish are voracious predators.

With a $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation scientists from Oregon State University are urgently trying to address the crisis.

Mark Hixon, a university professor of zoology and leader of the research effort said, “This is a new and voracious predator on these coral reefs and it’s undergoing a population explosion,” adding, “The threats to coral reefs all over the world were already extreme, and they now have to deal with this alien predator.  Lionfish eat many other species and they seem to eat constantly.”

“Native fish literally don’t know what hit them.”

According to a report in 2008, Oregon University research teams determined that within a short period after the entry of Lionfish into an area, the survival of small reef fishes is slashed by about 80 percent.

One of the most bizarre, Lionfish have virtually no natural enemies and they continue to populate at an alarming rate because they are ignored by local predators and parasites, and are rapidly eating their way through entire ecosystems.

KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE
Strangely, Lionfish are a delicacy and scientists are trying to find a way to educate local fishermen so they can commercially fish for them.  Unlike the the Asian market quest for their craving of shark fin soup,  which has brought eco-outcry from Costa Rica illegal shark finning this might be the best example of  “killing two birds with one stone”  since the Lionfish is considered a better delicacy than shark-fin soup. Depleting the population could be a good eco-substitution or balance.

The Lionfish is one of the most venomous fish on the ocean floor. Divers and fishermen are to use extreme cautious and avoid contact with the venomous spikes of the Lionfish. Usually, Lionfish are not aggressive toward humans and will almost always keep their distance when given the opportunity, so they pose a relatively low risk. In addition, their stings are not deadly, but they are very painful.

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