[Coral-List] Lion fish question
Steve Gittings - NOAA Federal
steve.gittings at noaa.gov
Fri Apr 19 10:39:51 EDT 2013
Has anyone really done an objective comparison of the threat posed by
lionfish to other stressors that we all agree are important? I don't study
lionfish in any detail, but for what it's worth, my sense from the
literature and gut contents leaves me with little doubt that they are
likely to have a huge negative effect on local fish populations in parts of
the Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
On Fri, Apr 19, 2013 at 9:37 AM, Steve Mussman <sealab at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Thanks to all who replied to the lion fish question both on and off
> list.
> The information provided proved to be interesting and thought
> provoking. I
> never doubted the fact that this invasive species is problematic, but
> concerns remain relating to several key points.
>
> As one respondent put it, could we be guilty of attributing causation
> (of
> a broader problem) to a temporal correlation? Is the proliferation of
> this
> invasion being enhanced and exacerbated by preconditions that we prefer
> to
> treat with comparative indifference? Why is it that we are reacting so
> aggressively to this scourge on our reefs while continuing to ignore
> what
> the ICRS has identified as undeniably a greater threat? Are the
> reactions
> that are unfolding in any way solutional?
>
> These are the questions that continue to reverberate with me.
>
> Regards,
>
> Steve
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>
--
Dr. Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
1305 East West Hwy., N/ORM62
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 713-7274 (w), (301) 529-1854 (c)
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