00:00lionfish invasion how beautiful aquarium fish are destroying american reefs
00:06lionfish look like they belong in an aquarium that is part of the problem these striped venom
00:12spined fish are native to the indo-pacific but they became established in the atlantic caribbean
00:18gulf of mexico and florida waters after aquarium releases and escapes on american reefs they found
00:25a nearly perfect invasion setup plenty of prey few natural predators and native fish that did
00:34not recognize them as danger lionfish eat small reef fish and crustaceans at shocking rates including
00:41young species that normally help keep algae under control when those grazers disappear algae can
00:47gain ground and corals already stressed by warming water disease pollution and storms lose another
00:54defense florida wildlife officials encourage divers and fishers to remove lionfish because they can
01:01harm native marine life and reef health that is why lionfish derbies spearfishing events and restaurant
01:07campaigns exist the twist is that lionfish are venomous to handle but edible when prepared safely
01:17so one conservation strategy is simple catch them cook them
01:22keep pressure on local populations but no one should pretend this problem is solved lionfish reproduce
01:29fast hide deep and can recolonize cleared reefs the attack on coral reefs is not one dramatic bite
01:36it is thousands of small meals repeated until the reef community changes
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