1 00:00:08,108 --> 00:00:10,177 >>NARRATOR: In the waters of the western Atlantic 2 00:00:10,177 --> 00:00:15,916 and Caribbean, a voracious alien predator has taken hold. 3 00:00:15,916 --> 00:00:18,552 >>We have never before seen a marine invasion 4 00:00:18,552 --> 00:00:20,787 of this magnitude or this scale. 5 00:00:20,787 --> 00:00:24,558 >>NARRATOR: Lionfish are indigenous to the Indo-Pacific. 6 00:00:24,558 --> 00:00:26,927 >>They've evolved over many thousands of years 7 00:00:26,927 --> 00:00:29,963 in a complicated system where everything had time to work out 8 00:00:29,963 --> 00:00:35,302 its place and its controlling mechanisms. 9 00:00:35,302 --> 00:00:37,237 >>NARRATOR: Not so in the Atlantic, 10 00:00:37,237 --> 00:00:40,908 where this invasive species is a major threat 11 00:00:40,908 --> 00:00:43,343 to biodiversity and the health 12 00:00:43,343 --> 00:00:48,348 of already stressed coral reef ecosystems. 13 00:00:48,348 --> 00:00:51,051 >>The biggest concern we have is lionfish predation 14 00:00:51,051 --> 00:00:52,886 on other marine life. 15 00:00:52,886 --> 00:00:56,023 They're a voracious, gluttonous feeder. 16 00:00:56,023 --> 00:00:58,025 They're an ambush predator, 17 00:00:58,025 --> 00:01:00,360 and they're very uniquely camouflaged, 18 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,330 so they can sneak up very close to their prey, 19 00:01:03,330 --> 00:01:07,901 and our prey here in this range have not evolved with lionfish 20 00:01:07,901 --> 00:01:12,773 and don't see them as a predator. 21 00:01:12,773 --> 00:01:14,474 One of the key findings of the research 22 00:01:14,474 --> 00:01:17,177 that we've been doing here in the Bahamas is that lionfish 23 00:01:17,177 --> 00:01:20,013 have likely reduced fish populations 24 00:01:20,013 --> 00:01:25,519 on many of these reefs by up to 90% in the last four years. 25 00:01:25,519 --> 00:01:28,088 It's a free-for-all for lionfish right now. 26 00:01:28,088 --> 00:01:30,190 No predators, lots of food. 27 00:01:30,190 --> 00:01:32,259 Just a kid in a candy store. 28 00:01:32,259 --> 00:01:33,794 The million-dollar question 29 00:01:33,794 --> 00:01:35,362 is "what are we going to do about this?" 30 00:02:01,722 --> 00:02:04,091 >>Major funding for this program was provided 31 00:02:04,091 --> 00:02:06,193 by the Batchelor Foundation, 32 00:02:06,193 --> 00:02:08,795 encouraging people to preserve and protect 33 00:02:08,795 --> 00:02:13,800 America's underwater resources. 34 00:02:25,412 --> 00:02:27,914 >>NARRATOR: They are stunning fish, 35 00:02:27,914 --> 00:02:33,320 with striking stripes and long, flamboyant fins. 36 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,189 Native to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, 37 00:02:36,189 --> 00:02:41,194 Lionfish are members of the scorpion fish family. 38 00:02:41,194 --> 00:02:43,830 >>Lionfish are very popular aquarium fish, 39 00:02:43,830 --> 00:02:46,566 and they are sold in very large numbers in the United States. 40 00:02:46,566 --> 00:02:48,468 They're very ornate, beautiful fish. 41 00:02:48,468 --> 00:02:52,105 They tend to eat a lot, and they eat the other aquarium fish-- 42 00:02:52,105 --> 00:02:54,675 some of the expensive aquarium fish. 43 00:02:54,675 --> 00:02:57,210 >>Lionfish will outgrow an aquarium in many cases. 44 00:02:57,210 --> 00:02:58,612 Also, the expense of keeping 45 00:02:58,612 --> 00:03:02,582 an aquarium can be price-inhibitive. 46 00:03:02,582 --> 00:03:05,552 So what happens is, the people run out of money 47 00:03:05,552 --> 00:03:07,921 to maintain their aquarium, and they, rather than bring 48 00:03:07,921 --> 00:03:09,890 the fish back to the pet store, 49 00:03:09,890 --> 00:03:12,292 they just release them into the wild. 50 00:03:12,292 --> 00:03:16,863 >>And some of those fish got together and began to reproduce. 51 00:03:16,863 --> 00:03:19,099 >>NARRATOR: Experts believe they can trace the origins 52 00:03:19,099 --> 00:03:21,535 of this invasion to South Florida, 53 00:03:21,535 --> 00:03:25,972 where the first lionfish were spotted in the wild. 54 00:03:25,972 --> 00:03:28,742 >>Actually, 1985 in Miami was the first record. 55 00:03:28,742 --> 00:03:33,246 And then a very few records in the early and mid-'90s as well. 56 00:03:33,246 --> 00:03:35,582 There is a popular myth that Hurricane Andrew 57 00:03:35,582 --> 00:03:40,754 destroyed a bayfront aquarium in South Florida, in Miami, 58 00:03:40,754 --> 00:03:43,190 but it's all second- and third-hand information. 59 00:03:43,190 --> 00:03:44,558 It's never been proven. 60 00:03:44,558 --> 00:03:46,760 And the genetics don't really support that. 61 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,663 Even if that bayfront aquarium was destroyed, 62 00:03:49,663 --> 00:03:51,531 we know that there are more than just those 63 00:03:51,531 --> 00:03:54,735 few fish involved in the invasion. 64 00:03:54,735 --> 00:03:57,370 >>NARRATOR: While the invasion was likely caused by more fish 65 00:03:57,370 --> 00:03:59,573 than what could have escaped the aquarium, 66 00:03:59,573 --> 00:04:02,743 genetic testing has traced the massive invasion 67 00:04:02,743 --> 00:04:07,881 back to around nine fish on the maternal line. 68 00:04:07,881 --> 00:04:10,417 >>That's looking like, you know, a very small number 69 00:04:10,417 --> 00:04:13,754 of fish that started this whole invasion. 70 00:04:13,754 --> 00:04:15,655 >>NARRATOR: The U.S. Geological Survey 71 00:04:15,655 --> 00:04:19,126 keeps track of all the confirmed lionfish sightings 72 00:04:19,126 --> 00:04:21,094 on a detailed map. 73 00:04:21,094 --> 00:04:22,529 >>Starting in the late '90s, 74 00:04:22,529 --> 00:04:24,831 we began to see an increase up the east coast of Florida. 75 00:04:24,831 --> 00:04:28,735 And then in 2000, up into the Southeast U.S.: Georgia, 76 00:04:28,735 --> 00:04:31,738 South Carolina, North Carolina and Bermuda out in the Atlantic. 77 00:04:36,777 --> 00:04:39,279 >>NARRATOR: The Gulf Stream carried the lionfish eggs 78 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,315 and larvae northward, allowing the fish 79 00:04:42,315 --> 00:04:45,152 to establish themselves along the East Coast 80 00:04:45,152 --> 00:04:49,689 of the United States. 81 00:04:49,689 --> 00:04:52,759 Only the colder temperatures of the northern Atlantic 82 00:04:52,759 --> 00:04:56,763 have kept the animals from taking hold in the Northeast. 83 00:04:59,466 --> 00:05:01,868 >>We do know that the thermal tolerance for lionfish 84 00:05:01,868 --> 00:05:04,938 is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, 12 degrees Centigrade. 85 00:05:04,938 --> 00:05:06,873 But even with that thermal tolerance, 86 00:05:06,873 --> 00:05:10,210 every summer, lionfish, during the warm months, 87 00:05:10,210 --> 00:05:13,146 make it as far north as Rhode Island, Massachusetts 88 00:05:13,146 --> 00:05:14,648 and New York. 89 00:05:14,648 --> 00:05:17,484 Obviously in the wintertime, it's too cold for those fish 90 00:05:17,484 --> 00:05:19,820 to survive, so they don't make it. 91 00:05:19,820 --> 00:05:24,124 >>NARRATOR: But the invasion didn't stop there. 92 00:05:24,124 --> 00:05:25,592 >>There is an eddy of the Gulf Stream 93 00:05:25,592 --> 00:05:27,327 that kind of peels into the Bahamas 94 00:05:27,327 --> 00:05:30,363 between Grand Bahama and Bimini, and even though 95 00:05:30,363 --> 00:05:32,165 there's not a lot of connectivity 96 00:05:32,165 --> 00:05:35,535 between the Bahamas and the Florida coast, 97 00:05:35,535 --> 00:05:38,605 there's enough through that eddy that some of the eggs 98 00:05:38,605 --> 00:05:40,874 were entrained and dropped over in the Bahamas, 99 00:05:40,874 --> 00:05:42,809 and once those fish began to reproduce 100 00:05:42,809 --> 00:05:49,082 in this very abundant, diverse habitat, they really took hold. 101 00:05:49,082 --> 00:05:52,118 The first fish showed up in the Bahamas in 2004, 102 00:05:52,118 --> 00:05:55,655 and then the spread moved southward to Turks and Caicos, 103 00:05:55,655 --> 00:06:00,293 Hispaniola, Cuba and then westward-- Jamaica, Cayman, 104 00:06:00,293 --> 00:06:02,929 Central America, and now it's following down 105 00:06:02,929 --> 00:06:05,599 the South American coast. 106 00:06:05,599 --> 00:06:07,601 >>NARRATOR: Lionfish are also spreading 107 00:06:07,601 --> 00:06:11,504 into the Gulf of Mexico, and after all these years 108 00:06:11,504 --> 00:06:16,243 are showing up in increasing numbers in South Florida. 109 00:06:16,243 --> 00:06:19,646 >>So the dispersal we see in this distribution is due 110 00:06:19,646 --> 00:06:23,116 to fish in one area reproducing, and their eggs and larvae 111 00:06:23,116 --> 00:06:25,285 being carried in the currents to a new area 112 00:06:25,285 --> 00:06:27,254 where those fish begin to mature. 113 00:06:27,254 --> 00:06:29,289 And along the east coast of Florida, 114 00:06:29,289 --> 00:06:31,458 we have the Gulf Stream current moving north, 115 00:06:31,458 --> 00:06:34,294 so fish in South Florida were reproducing, but their eggs 116 00:06:34,294 --> 00:06:36,963 and larvae were being carried north 117 00:06:36,963 --> 00:06:38,598 and there was no additional supply 118 00:06:38,598 --> 00:06:41,001 into that South Florida population. 119 00:06:41,001 --> 00:06:44,371 So fish to the South of us in Cuba, Mexico, Belize 120 00:06:44,371 --> 00:06:46,273 are reproducing, and their eggs and larvae 121 00:06:46,273 --> 00:06:48,675 are making it into South Florida. 122 00:06:48,675 --> 00:06:51,211 So even though this all started in South Florida, 123 00:06:51,211 --> 00:06:54,547 it took about a decade or so for us to start to see 124 00:06:54,547 --> 00:06:56,549 the effects full circle. 125 00:06:59,286 --> 00:07:01,855 >>NARRATOR: Lad Akins, who works for the nonprofit 126 00:07:01,855 --> 00:07:04,858 Reef Environmental Education Foundation 127 00:07:04,858 --> 00:07:08,428 based out of Key Largo, Florida, has done a lot of research 128 00:07:08,428 --> 00:07:11,231 on the lionfish invasion. 129 00:07:11,231 --> 00:07:14,801 Together with Stephanie Green, a marine ecologist 130 00:07:14,801 --> 00:07:18,805 from Simon-Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, 131 00:07:18,805 --> 00:07:21,608 he is conducting a number of research projects 132 00:07:21,608 --> 00:07:23,877 in the Bahamas. 133 00:07:23,877 --> 00:07:25,645 >>The Bahamas definitely are ground zero 134 00:07:25,645 --> 00:07:29,249 for the lionfish invasion. 135 00:07:29,249 --> 00:07:32,285 >>NARRATOR: The island chain's tropical waters and coral reefs 136 00:07:32,285 --> 00:07:38,058 make it an ideal habitat for lionfish. 137 00:07:38,058 --> 00:07:41,461 On the island of Eleuthera, Lad and Stephanie are conducting 138 00:07:41,461 --> 00:07:45,031 a number of different studies to better understand 139 00:07:45,031 --> 00:07:48,868 how the lionfish affect local marine habitats, 140 00:07:48,868 --> 00:07:53,173 and what might be done to alleviate those impacts. 141 00:07:53,173 --> 00:07:56,509 >>We have a giant experiment set up in Rock Sound, 142 00:07:56,509 --> 00:07:59,846 which is this really large body of water that is 143 00:07:59,846 --> 00:08:01,982 extremely similar habitat, 144 00:08:01,982 --> 00:08:04,217 about ten feet deep all the way across, 145 00:08:04,217 --> 00:08:08,054 with these almost perfect little replicated coral heads 146 00:08:08,054 --> 00:08:10,323 every few hundred meters, and that essentially 147 00:08:10,323 --> 00:08:14,327 is the perfect playground in which to do this experiment. 148 00:08:14,327 --> 00:08:18,365 We've taken 24 of those reefs and we've divided them 149 00:08:18,365 --> 00:08:21,267 into four different treatments. 150 00:08:21,267 --> 00:08:24,904 A number of those reefs, we have taken all the lionfish 151 00:08:24,904 --> 00:08:26,473 off of-- we're not leaving any. 152 00:08:26,473 --> 00:08:30,910 And then, we have two treatments where we've left a few lionfish, 153 00:08:30,910 --> 00:08:34,280 numbers that we've predicted to have a low probability 154 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,050 of impact, and also a high probability of impact 155 00:08:37,050 --> 00:08:38,685 on the fish communities. 156 00:08:38,685 --> 00:08:40,186 And then the remainder of the reefs 157 00:08:40,186 --> 00:08:44,491 we're using as essentially a scientific control. 158 00:08:44,491 --> 00:08:46,826 We're not removing lionfish from those reefs, 159 00:08:46,826 --> 00:08:49,362 but we are monitoring what changes over time. 160 00:08:49,362 --> 00:08:51,798 And essentially, we can compare the reefs 161 00:08:51,798 --> 00:08:54,401 where we've manipulated lionfish numbers-- removed them-- 162 00:08:54,401 --> 00:08:56,736 to those reefs where they remain, 163 00:08:56,736 --> 00:08:58,738 to see what differences occur. 164 00:09:02,275 --> 00:09:05,011 >>NARRATOR: Lad and Stephanie are working closely with experts 165 00:09:05,011 --> 00:09:08,415 from the Cape Eleuthera Institute, who helped them 166 00:09:08,415 --> 00:09:12,619 set up their experiment in late 2009. 167 00:09:12,619 --> 00:09:14,821 Now they are monitoring the project 168 00:09:14,821 --> 00:09:17,857 when Lad and Stephanie aren't there. 169 00:09:17,857 --> 00:09:19,893 >>I've been heading out monthly and checking in 170 00:09:19,893 --> 00:09:22,228 on those reefs and conducting surveys. 171 00:09:22,228 --> 00:09:23,496 >>When we first started this work, 172 00:09:23,496 --> 00:09:26,299 we conducted very detailed baseline inventories 173 00:09:26,299 --> 00:09:28,401 of those sites, the coral cover, 174 00:09:28,401 --> 00:09:30,670 the relief of the site off the bottom. 175 00:09:30,670 --> 00:09:35,708 We count every single little fish and size every single fish 176 00:09:35,708 --> 00:09:37,911 on those reefs along a transect line. 177 00:09:37,911 --> 00:09:41,514 So we can get the amount of fish per square meter of reef, 178 00:09:41,514 --> 00:09:44,384 as well as counting how many lionfish and determining 179 00:09:44,384 --> 00:09:46,052 the size of the lionfish. 180 00:09:46,052 --> 00:09:48,488 And all that is put into a pretty sophisticated model 181 00:09:48,488 --> 00:09:52,292 that spits out, based on lionfish consumption, 182 00:09:52,292 --> 00:09:56,396 how many lionfish we believe that reef can support 183 00:09:56,396 --> 00:09:58,164 based on the available food. 184 00:09:58,164 --> 00:10:01,267 And that's what's directing the different treatments. 185 00:10:01,267 --> 00:10:02,969 >>NARRATOR: The scientists are hoping 186 00:10:02,969 --> 00:10:05,738 to answer a number of different questions. 187 00:10:05,738 --> 00:10:08,241 >>What we want to find out is how many lionfish 188 00:10:08,241 --> 00:10:12,445 a reef can support without having dramatic impacts 189 00:10:12,445 --> 00:10:14,914 to the marine life on that site. 190 00:10:14,914 --> 00:10:17,784 And, if you remove lionfish from a site that's had 191 00:10:17,784 --> 00:10:20,920 a lot of lionfish, will the marine life come back? 192 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,723 And really, that's going to direct control efforts. 193 00:10:23,723 --> 00:10:25,825 If you know that you can still have one or two lionfish 194 00:10:25,825 --> 00:10:28,161 on a reef without having negative impacts, 195 00:10:28,161 --> 00:10:31,931 well, that will change the way you look at removal efforts. 196 00:10:37,337 --> 00:10:39,572 >>NARRATOR: The scientists use two main methods 197 00:10:39,572 --> 00:10:41,708 to collect the lionfish. 198 00:10:41,708 --> 00:10:43,576 >>One of them is hand nets, 199 00:10:43,576 --> 00:10:45,311 designed for the aquarium industry, 200 00:10:45,311 --> 00:10:46,546 where they live capture 201 00:10:46,546 --> 00:10:49,382 their fish for aquarium exhibits or resale. 202 00:10:49,382 --> 00:10:52,352 And the hand nets tend to work very, very well, 203 00:10:52,352 --> 00:10:55,088 especially for the smaller lionfish. 204 00:10:55,088 --> 00:10:58,324 In heavily invaded areas where you have very large lionfish, 205 00:10:58,324 --> 00:11:02,462 and a lot of them, spearing can also be effective. 206 00:11:02,462 --> 00:11:04,497 Lionfish aren't a fast moving fish, 207 00:11:04,497 --> 00:11:07,901 and they're a perfect candidate for successful spearing. 208 00:11:07,901 --> 00:11:11,371 >>Divers need to use caution as they capture the animals, 209 00:11:11,371 --> 00:11:16,476 since their spines contain a potent venom. 210 00:11:16,476 --> 00:11:19,646 >>It can provide a very painful sting, and in rare cases 211 00:11:19,646 --> 00:11:21,915 more severe complications. 212 00:11:21,915 --> 00:11:25,185 It's a neurotoxin venom-- protein-based. 213 00:11:25,185 --> 00:11:28,922 So we tend to avoid stings by wearing protective gloves, 214 00:11:28,922 --> 00:11:32,125 puncture-proof gloves which are actually used 215 00:11:32,125 --> 00:11:35,662 in the hospital industry to prevent needle sticks. 216 00:11:35,662 --> 00:11:37,764 If, however, someone is stung by a lionfish, 217 00:11:37,764 --> 00:11:40,200 treatment is pretty basic. 218 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,403 Basically, immersion in hot water of the affected area 219 00:11:43,403 --> 00:11:46,472 starts to break down the protein base of the venom 220 00:11:46,472 --> 00:11:48,474 and relieves the pain at the same time. 221 00:11:52,579 --> 00:11:55,782 >>NARRATOR: Once the fish are caught and brought back to land, 222 00:11:55,782 --> 00:11:59,252 the researchers analyze the animals' stomach contents 223 00:11:59,252 --> 00:12:03,356 to see what native species the lionfish prey on. 224 00:12:03,356 --> 00:12:08,094 >>Oh, squirrel fish. 225 00:12:08,094 --> 00:12:10,196 This is the last thing that a lot of fish see. 226 00:12:10,196 --> 00:12:13,800 And they swallow their prey whole, and then their stomachs 227 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:17,170 are really acidic, so it breaks the fish or crustaceans down 228 00:12:17,170 --> 00:12:18,605 really, really quickly. 229 00:12:18,605 --> 00:12:21,174 There are no teeth involved. 230 00:12:21,174 --> 00:12:23,042 They are what we call a gape-limited predator, 231 00:12:23,042 --> 00:12:25,845 so anything that is small enough to fit in their mouths 232 00:12:25,845 --> 00:12:29,716 they can consume, and it tends to be fish or other prey 233 00:12:29,716 --> 00:12:33,052 that are up to half their total size sometimes. 234 00:12:33,052 --> 00:12:37,290 We found lionfish with the tails of their prey sticking back out 235 00:12:37,290 --> 00:12:38,658 of their throat still. 236 00:12:38,658 --> 00:12:40,393 And they really are a gluttonous feeder. 237 00:12:40,393 --> 00:12:43,963 Their stomach can expand up to 30 times its normal size 238 00:12:43,963 --> 00:12:45,398 when they're eating. 239 00:12:45,398 --> 00:12:48,935 And so basically, the fact that it can consume a wide array 240 00:12:48,935 --> 00:12:52,038 of species, and they can consume such large prey, 241 00:12:52,038 --> 00:12:56,476 really means that they have the capacity to do a lot of damage. 242 00:12:56,476 --> 00:13:00,380 And so we have got the liver here, stomach. 243 00:13:00,380 --> 00:13:03,683 We'll take the stomach out. 244 00:13:10,256 --> 00:13:12,525 We've been sending off a lot of samples like this, 245 00:13:12,525 --> 00:13:16,963 that we can't tell the species, for DNA analysis so that 246 00:13:16,963 --> 00:13:18,898 we get a species identification. 247 00:13:18,898 --> 00:13:22,568 We've documented over 50 species of reef fishes in the stomach, 248 00:13:22,568 --> 00:13:25,705 as well as crustaceans and all sorts of other critters. 249 00:13:25,705 --> 00:13:29,309 They are really hitting the reef quite hard on all fronts-- 250 00:13:29,309 --> 00:13:31,778 things that grow up to be large as adults but also things 251 00:13:31,778 --> 00:13:33,780 that stay really small. 252 00:13:33,780 --> 00:13:35,648 I am not really aware of any other predator 253 00:13:35,648 --> 00:13:37,383 that eats so broadly. 254 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:49,362 >>NARRATOR: There are several reasons why lionfish numbers 255 00:13:49,362 --> 00:13:51,864 have exploded in the Atlantic. 256 00:13:51,864 --> 00:13:55,868 For one, the animals reproduce frequently. 257 00:13:55,868 --> 00:13:58,771 >>Lionfish reach maturity at a very small size, 258 00:13:58,771 --> 00:14:00,873 a very young age, so very quickly in their life 259 00:14:00,873 --> 00:14:02,775 they're able to reproduce. 260 00:14:02,775 --> 00:14:05,011 And they're pair spawners, so a single male 261 00:14:05,011 --> 00:14:07,480 and a single female get together and reproduce. 262 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,050 And in warmer climates like South Florida and the islands-- 263 00:14:11,050 --> 00:14:12,652 the Caribbean and the Bahamas-- 264 00:14:12,652 --> 00:14:16,255 lionfish can reproduce throughout the year. 265 00:14:16,255 --> 00:14:18,624 >>We'll open it up, and I'll show you guys this. 266 00:14:18,624 --> 00:14:24,997 This entire thing is one ovary-- they have two of them. 267 00:14:24,997 --> 00:14:29,335 All these tiny little spots, each of them is an egg. 268 00:14:29,335 --> 00:14:32,538 So some work that has been done up at the NOAA lab 269 00:14:32,538 --> 00:14:36,376 in North Carolina shows that there are up to 30,000 eggs 270 00:14:36,376 --> 00:14:38,878 in one spawn, and that this is happening 271 00:14:38,878 --> 00:14:42,682 every four to six days in the Caribbean year round. 272 00:14:42,682 --> 00:14:45,952 So that is one reason why they are so successful 273 00:14:45,952 --> 00:14:48,087 in establishing all over the place. 274 00:14:51,023 --> 00:14:53,693 >>NARRATOR: Another reason why lionfish have inundated 275 00:14:53,693 --> 00:14:56,929 the western Atlantic and Caribbean is the fact 276 00:14:56,929 --> 00:15:00,066 that they have no known predators or parasites 277 00:15:00,066 --> 00:15:02,535 in this part of the world. 278 00:15:02,535 --> 00:15:04,570 >>They can put a lot more energy into growth 279 00:15:04,570 --> 00:15:05,872 and reproduction. 280 00:15:05,872 --> 00:15:09,008 And we see lionfish here in the Atlantic and Caribbean 281 00:15:09,008 --> 00:15:12,645 much larger than they're known to grow in their native range. 282 00:15:12,645 --> 00:15:14,814 Native range maximum size is reported to be 283 00:15:14,814 --> 00:15:16,716 about 35 centimeters. 284 00:15:16,716 --> 00:15:20,186 And here, we're finding lionfish almost half a meter in length, 285 00:15:20,186 --> 00:15:23,189 and that is a big, big lionfish. 286 00:15:27,894 --> 00:15:29,962 >>NARRATOR: To better understand how lionfish 287 00:15:29,962 --> 00:15:33,466 move and grow, the scientists are tagging them 288 00:15:33,466 --> 00:15:37,303 on those study sites where they haven't been captured. 289 00:15:40,573 --> 00:15:42,775 >>We tag them underwater rather than bringing them 290 00:15:42,775 --> 00:15:45,845 to the surface, which could cause some barotrauma, 291 00:15:45,845 --> 00:15:48,314 pressure change injuries on the fish, 292 00:15:48,314 --> 00:15:52,051 and would require anesthetizing the fish, 293 00:15:52,051 --> 00:15:55,288 and it would be a very lengthy, detailed process. 294 00:15:55,288 --> 00:15:57,089 The process is a little bit tricky. 295 00:15:57,089 --> 00:15:59,425 You're dealing with a live fish on the bottom 296 00:15:59,425 --> 00:16:01,160 with venomous spines. 297 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,797 It involves using a small strip of plastic 298 00:16:04,797 --> 00:16:06,165 attached to a sewing needle. 299 00:16:06,165 --> 00:16:10,169 This thin plastic strip is called a Floy streamer tag, 300 00:16:10,169 --> 00:16:12,839 and it has a serial number and contact information, 301 00:16:12,839 --> 00:16:14,440 and we put that right through 302 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,042 the base of the tail of the fish. 303 00:16:16,042 --> 00:16:18,611 And the hope is we can revisit some of the sites 304 00:16:18,611 --> 00:16:21,414 that we tagged fish and adjacent reef areas, 305 00:16:21,414 --> 00:16:24,650 and see if we can recapture those fish at a later date 306 00:16:24,650 --> 00:16:26,986 to get that movement and growth information. 307 00:16:26,986 --> 00:16:28,654 And the information that we're getting 308 00:16:28,654 --> 00:16:31,791 out of these tagging studies is vitally important 309 00:16:31,791 --> 00:16:35,294 to designing control programs that will be effective. 310 00:16:35,294 --> 00:16:38,331 And when we do re-collect the fish after the tagging, 311 00:16:38,331 --> 00:16:41,434 at the end of the research, we don't let them go again. 312 00:16:44,570 --> 00:16:47,540 >>NARRATOR: To do all this time-intensive work, 313 00:16:47,540 --> 00:16:51,444 Lad and Stephanie rely heavily on the help of volunteers 314 00:16:51,444 --> 00:16:54,580 who assist in their efforts. 315 00:16:54,580 --> 00:16:56,082 >>And we were doing all sorts of stuff, 316 00:16:56,082 --> 00:16:57,950 whether it was helping hold the bags, 317 00:16:57,950 --> 00:17:01,454 literally to physically collect the lionfish 318 00:17:01,454 --> 00:17:04,390 to once they've been tagged, then we would take them back 319 00:17:04,390 --> 00:17:08,461 to their original site and let them go. 320 00:17:08,461 --> 00:17:11,564 >>The volunteers have been extremely crucial 321 00:17:11,564 --> 00:17:14,467 in a couple of ways to the lionfish research. 322 00:17:14,467 --> 00:17:18,304 Through using volunteers, you can collect a large amount 323 00:17:18,304 --> 00:17:21,707 of scientific data that normally you wouldn't be able to, 324 00:17:21,707 --> 00:17:25,845 because researchers don't have a lot of money or time. 325 00:17:25,845 --> 00:17:28,214 >>To me, it's just my little part 326 00:17:28,214 --> 00:17:30,683 trying to eradicate a problem. 327 00:17:30,683 --> 00:17:33,352 That's my whole desire, and I hope other people 328 00:17:33,352 --> 00:17:37,356 out there have the same feelings I do and jump onboard to help. 329 00:17:43,629 --> 00:17:45,464 >>NARRATOR: As part of their research, 330 00:17:45,464 --> 00:17:47,199 the scientists have observed 331 00:17:47,199 --> 00:17:49,669 all kinds of interesting behavior, 332 00:17:49,669 --> 00:17:51,971 including this video Lad shot 333 00:17:51,971 --> 00:17:55,975 of two lionfish fighting for dominance. 334 00:17:58,077 --> 00:18:00,446 >>Lionfish are related to the scorpion fish, 335 00:18:00,446 --> 00:18:02,515 and all scorpion fish have a pretty bony head, 336 00:18:02,515 --> 00:18:08,020 and we've seen aggressive posturing between male lionfish, 337 00:18:08,020 --> 00:18:11,490 and they use these bony cheeks up against each other's sides 338 00:18:11,490 --> 00:18:15,895 to kind of rake along the side when they are having 339 00:18:15,895 --> 00:18:17,763 a little tiff, trying to determine 340 00:18:17,763 --> 00:18:20,766 who is the dominant male for spawning with females. 341 00:18:24,036 --> 00:18:26,806 >>Scientists say there's still a lot they need to learn 342 00:18:26,806 --> 00:18:30,276 about lionfish-- such as how old they get 343 00:18:30,276 --> 00:18:34,246 and at what depths they can live. 344 00:18:34,246 --> 00:18:36,682 >>The depth ranges of lionfish we know are as shallow 345 00:18:36,682 --> 00:18:40,152 as inches deep up against the shoreline, and we don't know 346 00:18:40,152 --> 00:18:42,755 the maximum depth yet, but we know at least as deep 347 00:18:42,755 --> 00:18:44,323 as 500 feet. 348 00:18:44,323 --> 00:18:48,327 A report from a submarine saw lionfish that deep. 349 00:18:50,663 --> 00:18:52,565 >>NARRATOR: The one thing experts do know 350 00:18:52,565 --> 00:18:56,469 is that these animals present a major threat 351 00:18:56,469 --> 00:19:01,440 to the biodiversity and ecosystem health of this region. 352 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,577 >>The spread since 2007 has been more dramatic 353 00:19:04,577 --> 00:19:06,779 than any of us could have imagined. 354 00:19:06,779 --> 00:19:08,881 So rapid, so intense. 355 00:19:08,881 --> 00:19:14,253 The population has exploded in areas that have become invaded. 356 00:19:14,253 --> 00:19:17,056 >>And we're finding in many instances that lionfish 357 00:19:17,056 --> 00:19:20,359 have likely reduced populations by up to 90% 358 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,396 in just four short years since colonizing the area. 359 00:19:23,396 --> 00:19:26,966 So we've seen huge reductions in the numbers of fish, 360 00:19:26,966 --> 00:19:31,170 also potentially in diversity, and so the impacts of these fish 361 00:19:31,170 --> 00:19:34,173 are profound. 362 00:19:37,243 --> 00:19:40,079 >>NARRATOR: At this time, removal of the lionfish 363 00:19:40,079 --> 00:19:44,083 seems to be the only solution to this growing problem. 364 00:19:46,352 --> 00:19:49,655 >>Eradication is not likely going to be possible, 365 00:19:49,655 --> 00:19:51,490 based on what we know right now. 366 00:19:51,490 --> 00:19:55,494 But we can control populations to a level that the impacts 367 00:19:55,494 --> 00:19:56,762 may be minimized. 368 00:19:56,762 --> 00:20:00,866 And right now that's a major, major goal. 369 00:20:00,866 --> 00:20:03,869 And we know we are the ultimate at being able 370 00:20:03,869 --> 00:20:06,572 to wipe out marine life. 371 00:20:06,572 --> 00:20:08,040 Wipe out fish stocks. 372 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,076 But we have to have that incentive to do it. 373 00:20:10,076 --> 00:20:12,144 And that incentive is money. 374 00:20:12,144 --> 00:20:14,180 I think developing a market for lionfish 375 00:20:14,180 --> 00:20:16,148 is a very smart way to go. 376 00:20:16,148 --> 00:20:19,452 And for larger lionfish, that market is a food market. 377 00:20:19,452 --> 00:20:23,322 >>They really are a delicious fish, and that's probably 378 00:20:23,322 --> 00:20:25,558 one of the saving graces of this whole invasion 379 00:20:25,558 --> 00:20:27,893 is the fact that you can actually consume them 380 00:20:27,893 --> 00:20:29,428 and that they taste so good. 381 00:20:29,428 --> 00:20:30,529 >>So good. 382 00:20:33,432 --> 00:20:37,403 >>NARRATOR: Lionfish taste similar to hogfish and snapper, 383 00:20:37,403 --> 00:20:40,906 and the meat can be prepared in a variety of ways. 384 00:20:40,906 --> 00:20:43,943 Nutritional studies have shown that lionfish 385 00:20:43,943 --> 00:20:46,445 are actually higher in omega 3s 386 00:20:46,445 --> 00:20:49,014 than some of the more common food fish, 387 00:20:49,014 --> 00:20:51,450 and efforts are currently underway to develop 388 00:20:51,450 --> 00:20:55,087 a commercial market for lionfish. 389 00:20:55,087 --> 00:20:56,589 >>Bermuda has developed a slogan. 390 00:20:56,589 --> 00:20:58,257 They say "eat 'em to beat 'em." 391 00:20:58,257 --> 00:21:01,260 And I really think that's a good way to go. 392 00:21:07,399 --> 00:21:09,802 >>NARRATOR: To make catching the animals more efficient, 393 00:21:09,802 --> 00:21:14,006 the researchers are testing out a variety of different traps. 394 00:21:14,006 --> 00:21:15,975 >>We're trying a few different trap designs 395 00:21:15,975 --> 00:21:18,377 and a few different baiting schemes to see if we can design 396 00:21:18,377 --> 00:21:20,713 something that would be effective for lionfish 397 00:21:20,713 --> 00:21:23,415 but not have a lot of other bycatch 398 00:21:23,415 --> 00:21:25,785 and not impact the other fish species as well. 399 00:21:25,785 --> 00:21:28,087 We actually have been able to catch some lionfish 400 00:21:28,087 --> 00:21:31,190 in our traps, but the amount of bycatch that we caught 401 00:21:31,190 --> 00:21:33,893 during that same trapping scheme was just too high 402 00:21:33,893 --> 00:21:37,496 to be really considered an effective removal. 403 00:21:37,496 --> 00:21:40,833 So we've adjusted some of our trapping treatments, 404 00:21:40,833 --> 00:21:43,536 and we're trying a few different things now-- 405 00:21:43,536 --> 00:21:46,238 putting escape panels into the traps. 406 00:21:46,238 --> 00:21:49,074 And we'll just keep at it to see if we can come up 407 00:21:49,074 --> 00:21:50,743 with an effective design for lionfish. 408 00:21:50,743 --> 00:21:51,911 Maybe we can't. 409 00:21:51,911 --> 00:21:53,879 Maybe bycatch is always going to be too high, 410 00:21:53,879 --> 00:21:55,848 but that's something that we need to know. 411 00:21:55,848 --> 00:21:59,885 Diver removals can be very effective where they can dive, 412 00:21:59,885 --> 00:22:02,054 but you can't dive everywhere. 413 00:22:02,054 --> 00:22:06,425 But fishermen can deploy traps in a wide range of areas. 414 00:22:06,425 --> 00:22:08,394 So if we can have that effective trap design, 415 00:22:08,394 --> 00:22:10,396 we think we can engage the fishing community. 416 00:22:15,768 --> 00:22:17,837 >>NARRATOR: In an effort to get the public involved 417 00:22:17,837 --> 00:22:19,672 in capturing the fish, 418 00:22:19,672 --> 00:22:23,609 the Reef Environmental Education Foundation and its partners 419 00:22:23,609 --> 00:22:26,478 began organizing fishing tournaments, 420 00:22:26,478 --> 00:22:32,651 or "Derbies," in the Bahamas in 2009. 421 00:22:32,651 --> 00:22:36,455 Since then, the Derbies have caught on in other areas, 422 00:22:36,455 --> 00:22:39,491 including the Florida Keys. 423 00:22:39,491 --> 00:22:43,896 >>Basically what the derby's goal is is to raise awareness 424 00:22:43,896 --> 00:22:49,168 about lionfish, and also dispel some of the rumors 425 00:22:49,168 --> 00:22:51,370 that the meat is venomous. 426 00:22:51,370 --> 00:22:55,207 >>Coming out as early as 6:30 AM sunrise. 427 00:22:55,207 --> 00:22:56,642 >>NARRATOR: Cash prizes are offered 428 00:22:56,642 --> 00:23:00,512 as incentives for fishermen to participate. 429 00:23:00,512 --> 00:23:03,582 >>Oh, yeah, they did pretty well. 430 00:23:03,582 --> 00:23:04,984 >>150. 431 00:23:04,984 --> 00:23:07,486 >>We have "most lionfish per boat," 432 00:23:07,486 --> 00:23:09,355 and then we also have "largest lionfish," 433 00:23:09,355 --> 00:23:11,724 and we do "smallest lionfish" too, 434 00:23:11,724 --> 00:23:15,327 unlike other spearfishing tournaments. 435 00:23:15,327 --> 00:23:17,596 You can use a spear, you can use nets-- 436 00:23:17,596 --> 00:23:20,599 whatever method of collection you like. 437 00:23:20,599 --> 00:23:22,635 The most lionfish of the entire derby, 438 00:23:22,635 --> 00:23:27,673 with 111 lionfish, is Raw Talent. 439 00:23:27,673 --> 00:23:31,010 (cheers) 440 00:23:31,010 --> 00:23:33,579 These derbies, though, the main purpose of them 441 00:23:33,579 --> 00:23:36,615 is to raise awareness and get people involved 442 00:23:36,615 --> 00:23:40,286 in collecting lionfish, and also we have a big cookout 443 00:23:40,286 --> 00:23:43,656 at the end of the derby and people get to try lionfish 444 00:23:43,656 --> 00:23:46,458 and taste for themselves how delicious they are. 445 00:23:46,458 --> 00:23:49,228 And as long as people have incentive to harvest, 446 00:23:49,228 --> 00:23:51,230 they will harvest. 447 00:24:04,510 --> 00:24:07,546 >>NARRATOR: Much is being done to raise awareness 448 00:24:07,546 --> 00:24:11,450 of the lionfish invasion, and to figure out ways 449 00:24:11,450 --> 00:24:14,153 to halt the problem. 450 00:24:14,153 --> 00:24:17,790 While certain areas in the Bahamas are already overrun 451 00:24:17,790 --> 00:24:22,261 with lionfish, experts hope that it is not too late 452 00:24:22,261 --> 00:24:26,565 to keep this from happening in other parts of the invaded range 453 00:24:26,565 --> 00:24:31,136 where the animals are just now beginning to establish. 454 00:24:31,136 --> 00:24:33,439 >>Why not just let this run its course? 455 00:24:33,439 --> 00:24:36,475 Let it become part of the system, and, you know, 456 00:24:36,475 --> 00:24:38,444 it will assimilate and everything will find its way 457 00:24:38,444 --> 00:24:39,478 to work out. 458 00:24:39,478 --> 00:24:40,913 And that's a very valid question. 459 00:24:40,913 --> 00:24:43,048 I understand the question, and the viewpoint 460 00:24:43,048 --> 00:24:44,883 that some people may have along those lines. 461 00:24:44,883 --> 00:24:48,420 However, this is not a natural occurrence. 462 00:24:48,420 --> 00:24:49,955 This is a man-made occurrence. 463 00:24:49,955 --> 00:24:53,525 It's, in effect, biological pollution that we're seeing. 464 00:24:53,525 --> 00:24:56,028 And it's up to us to fix the problem. 465 00:24:56,028 --> 00:24:59,231 If we let it run its own course, our native species, 466 00:24:59,231 --> 00:25:01,233 who are not at fault, are the ones that are going 467 00:25:01,233 --> 00:25:03,435 to pay the price, and we will ultimately pay 468 00:25:03,435 --> 00:25:05,204 the price following that. 469 00:25:05,204 --> 00:25:07,373 And I think that's a good enough reason 470 00:25:07,373 --> 00:25:08,841 for us to really want to address 471 00:25:08,841 --> 00:25:12,411 this invasion and remove lionfish. 472 00:25:12,411 --> 00:25:15,147 >>This really is a region-wide threat that's potentially 473 00:25:15,147 --> 00:25:17,016 one of the worst ecological disasters 474 00:25:17,016 --> 00:25:19,551 that the Caribbean could face. 475 00:25:19,551 --> 00:25:22,654 But really, it's also a huge opportunity for us 476 00:25:22,654 --> 00:25:27,793 to be proactive on a conservation issue. 477 00:25:27,793 --> 00:25:30,195 I think humans have made 478 00:25:30,195 --> 00:25:32,698 a history out of not being proactive when it comes 479 00:25:32,698 --> 00:25:36,869 to conservation, when it comes to understanding the problems 480 00:25:36,869 --> 00:25:38,837 that are out there and doing something about them 481 00:25:38,837 --> 00:25:41,540 before they really take over a system. 482 00:25:41,540 --> 00:25:43,609 A lot of marine conservation you're telling people, 483 00:25:43,609 --> 00:25:47,079 "Don't do this, don't do that, don't go here, don't go there." 484 00:25:47,079 --> 00:25:50,082 With lionfish we're saying, "Yes, do get involved! 485 00:25:50,082 --> 00:25:52,184 "Do go out and fish for them. 486 00:25:52,184 --> 00:25:53,352 Do eat them." 487 00:25:53,352 --> 00:25:55,120 And I think that is really a benefit, 488 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,590 if there is anything to be optimistic about 489 00:25:58,590 --> 00:26:02,594 is the fact that you can bring people together on this. 490 00:26:24,750 --> 00:26:27,152 >>Major funding for this program was provided 491 00:26:27,152 --> 00:26:29,054 by the Batchelor Foundation, 492 00:26:29,054 --> 00:26:31,857 encouraging people to preserve and protect 493 00:26:31,857 --> 00:26:35,857 America's underwater resources.