Caribbean Travel Guide

Lion Fish Take Over

The Lion fish (Pterois) is a species of exotic fish specific to the Indo-pacific regions; however it isn’t uncommon to find them in further afield waters like the southern pacific but never quite as far as the Caribbean Sea.  In 2009 odd sightings of the lion fish were reported from the northern tips of the Bahamas (most northerly Caribbean country) to the southern stretches of Venezuela. During the last couple of years the fish’s presence has phenomenally increased to the point where they’ve become a nuisance. Lion fish can easily be defined by their red –brown stripped bodies, large pectoral fins and ridged spiked backs that house a venomous sting. Theories state the lion fish escaped from an aquarium in Florida when it was torn down by a hurricane over 10 years ago, others say they were kept as pets then released when they grew too big to be nurtured for, but it's more than likely global warming caused a raise in the seas temperature’s therefore misleading the fish of it's whereabouts. Caribbean Locals have been calling the lion fish “Godzilla” due to its destructive capabilities, wildlife trusts and preservation groups have reported dwindling numbers of their native fish since the unexpected arrival of the lion fish over the last couple of years. A reef preservation trust in the Bahamas noted a decline in its native fish by over 80% compared to the previous year, the lion fish was no doubt held to blame for these shocking statistics! Lion fish are predatory animals who feed on smaller fish, crustaceans and shell fish; it’s been known for lion fish to swallow prey two-thirds its size in one devouring bite as its stomach can miraculously expand over 30 times normal size cater for it's greedy appetite. It’s easy to see how these fish have began to take over; they’ve got no natural predators in the regions ecosystem, and even if they did a female lion fish can produce over 30,000 eggs every four days. "This is an explosion. No invasive tropical fish species has ever survived so successfully outside its own home ecosystem like this." Dr Carrie Manfrino, Research Director at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. The lion fish has settled snugly into its new surroundings, so well in fact the species has taken an evolutional step forward and grown an additional two inches of its known maximum natural size! Authorisation to cull lion fish has been given across the Caribbean in a conscious effort to damage its numbers, however many fear this will have little effect on the rapidly producing species as the problems been address all too late. There has been one positive out of the whole ordeal, Lion fish taste delicious! Flash fried fillets of the intrusive fish flavoured with chillies, spices and mustard seeds have become a well sought-after dish that's enjoyed in many countries across the Caribbean and South-America.