Lionfish on the east coast.

[emcbride81]

I haven't done a lot of diving on the east coast, for those of you that have lately, how many lionfish are you seeing? I have read several articles lately about them. Are they flourishing at this point or are sightings sporadic?

[Athena2c]

I don't know about the East Coast of the US, but we were just on a liveaboard in the Bahamas in January and saw them at least daily. They are very beautiful, but apparantly very devastating to the local marine environment.

[emcbride81]

I guess I should have named this Atlantic/Caribbean Divers....since they are all over the place!

I don't know how much damage they are doing, but I know without a predator they could get out of hand. I read somewhere that an organization was encouraging the killing of any lionfish spotted on a dive. I cannot remember where I read that tho.

[texdiveguy]

There are more and more sightings and selected captures on the eastern seaboard each month. I just saw 2 myself at the World Aquarium in Dallas this weekend....they are in Texas now!

[emcbride81]

Wow, Texas...you all better watch out then...I hear everything is bigger in Texas!

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by emcbride81

Wow, Texas...you all better watch out then...I hear everything is bigger in Texas!

Actually these 2 were BAD BOYS.....they were some really large Lionfish!

[RoyN]

I remember my cousin's lionfish ate everything in the tank.

Otherwise, I want to go to the east coast just to see how humans (?) have pretty much made that ecosystem completely off its track.

[SkuaSeptember]

They might be bigger in Texas, But we've got little ones as far north as RI!

Rare Lionfish found by Dive Club Member

[Crimediver]

I saw one on the U-85 in NC a couple of years ago. For a moment I thought I was in the Philippines again. I did not know they had gotten this far.

[Osprey]

I heard years ago they were an issue in the Keys due to the lack of natural predators. I wouldn't be surprised if there were several kill orders out.