Saving Seafood

Warming Waters Bring New Marine Species to NC, But Chase Away Some Familiar Ones

Bull sharks and lion fish are among the species becoming more common in North Carolina, while black sea bass and other fish are getting harder to find.

August 8, 2017 — A big reason reason North Carolina is seeing so much change in its marine species is because the state has an unusual variety of them, said Sara Mirabilio, a researcher and fisheries extension specialist with North Carolina Sea Grant.

Near Cape Hatteras, the cold Labrador Current comes down from the Arctic, and the warm Gulf Stream flows up from the Gulf of Mexico.

“We are at the northernmost range for southern species and the southernmost range for northern species,” she said. “So climate change at the boundaries will show the most impact.”

In many ways climate change is unfolding as the slowest of slow-motion disasters. But fish can move quickly and for long distances when spurred by relatively small changes in water temperature.

Lately they have moved so quickly that fisheries regulations are lagging, and tensions are rising between commercial fishermen based where the fish used to be, and those where the fish have moved.

On a recent day, Mike Ireland’s 99-foot trawler “Sharon Nicole” was docked behind a seafood wholesaler in the Hobucken community east of New Bern, just off the Pamlico Sound.

Shrimp season was under way, but he and his crew were repairing one of the massive, powered winches that haul in their nets. It was an especially crucial one, because it reels in the small net they drag to locate fish.

“This is probably the most important tool on the boat,” Ireland said. “With this little sample net you can really pinpoint where they’re at.”

Read and listen to the full story at WUNC

Lionfish Pervade Waters Off Florida’s Coasts

May 19, 2017 — Saturday is “Lionfish Awareness and Removal Day” in Florida. Lionfish are an invasive species off Florida’s coasts. People in southwest Florida are studying the fish’s impact and others are helping to keep the invasive species’ population under control.

Sometime in the 1980s, a boat coming somewhere from the Indo-Pacific had lionfish onboard.  That’s how they ended up in the waters off Florida where they don’t belong. They’re white with red stripes, and have eighteen hypodermic-like needle-sharp venomous spines on their fins. They’re the kind of fish you see in aquariums.

They’re pretty fish. But, as Florida Gulf Coast University marine biologist Mike Parsons said, their impact on the waters off  Florida’s coasts, where they’re not supposed to be, has been anything but pretty.

“In terms of marine invasive species, this is probably one of the major ones that have had an impact on the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico,” said Parsons. “This is probably the biggest impact we’ve seen locally.”

And, Parsons said, they’re really good at breeding.

“A female can basically spawn 20,000 eggs every two or three days. And so a single female can spawn 2 million eggs a year,” he said.

Parsons also said lionfish are more productive when it’s warmer. And in recent years those high levels of production remain constant year round.

Read the full story at WGCU

Spread of lionfish in Gulf of Mexico is threat to reef fisheries

February 15, 2017 — Nowhere is this more evident than with the spread of lionfish, an invasive, non-native species that is threatening the marine ecosystems across the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. And one researcher at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) continues working to learn as much about lionfish as he can.

“I’ve been studying this specific invasive species for many years and it’s clear the threat it poses to our reefs and marine environment is real,” said Matthew Johnston, Ph.D., a research scientist at NSU’s Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography. “As with all invasives, without any natural predators to keep things in balance, the one species can come to dominate the others.”

Johnston is also a member of the NSU Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) research team. His latest research paper, published by the journal Coral Reefs.

Read the full story at Science Daily

Marine Scientist Follows Hot Fish as They Move to Cooler Waters

November 30, 2016 — Warming oceans have fish on the move, and one man is in hot pursuit.

That man, Rutgers University marine biologist Malin Pinsky, has tracked fish species all over North American waters to learn where they’re headed in search of cooler conditions.

Recently, he’s seen lobsters nearly disappear from Long Island Sound, driven out by disease and a series of warm summers. The delicacies are thriving in the cooler Gulf of Maine, but that may be temporary: Water temperatures there are rising faster than anywhere else in the North Atlantic. Pinsky has also observed Black sea bass, traditionally plentiful off Virginia, start to relocate to the Gulf of Maine and the waters off the New Jersey coast. And out west, Pacific halibut and arrowtooth flounder in the eastern Bering Sea off Alaska have shifted north toward the Arctic.

“It’s not one species in one place or a few species in a limited area,” Pinsky says of the moving populations. “It’s actually hundreds of species in North America shifting toward cooler waters, and that’s significant.”

The changes pose major questions for fishermen and fishery managers. As species move, will fishermen relocate their businesses to follow? How do fishery managers set rules when fish have moved to new areas where they may be more susceptible to overfishing? And will species such as lionfish, which are invasive in the Atlantic Ocean and thrive in warm Southern waters, suddenly appear in force farther north along the Atlantic coast? Even more confounding is the effect of temperature changes on species such as corals that have difficulty relocating to a more suitable place.

Read the full story at National Geographic

ALABAMA: Lions on the Line Illustrates Impact of Lionfish on Reefs

October 18th, 2016 — For those who don’t live near the Alabama Gulf Coast, you might not be aware that Gov. Robert Bentley declared a Lionfish Awareness Day recently.

The reason for the public declaration was to coincide with the Lions on the Line event that was held at the Flora-Bama Marina and Flora-Bama Ole River Bar & Grill, which sit astride the Florida-Alabama line, hence Lions on the Line.

The Alabama Marine Resources Division (MRD), Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission and the NUISANCE Group teamed up to hold the event that encouraged the diving community to take as many lionfish as possible from the reefs off the Alabama coast and bring them in to be prepared for the public by  well-known chefs from the Gulf Coast.

For those not familiar with the lionfish, it is an invasive species that likely was dumped out of an aquarium into waters in south Florida. The species, which is native to the Indo-Pacific region, has spread like wildfire in the favorable conditions of the Gulf of Mexico and south Atlantic areas.

Read the full story at Alabama Outdoor News 

Stopping the world’s most rapacious invasive species, one fillet at a time

August 18, 2016 — Since Pacific lionfish were first detected off the coast of Florida three decades ago, they have spread around the Caribbean, gobbling up everything that fits in their mouths and reproducing at a phenomenal rate. Scientists have shown that soon after they descend upon a reef, there is a sharp fall in the number of small fish, notably the herbivores on which coral depends for survival.

“They’re eating their way through the reefs like a plague of locusts,” said Mark Hixon, a lionfish specialist at the University of Hawaii.

It is by far the most destructive invasive species ever recorded at sea, and the blight is believed to have started with aquarium fish released off the Florida Atlantic coast in the mid-1980s.

However, in the last few months, a set of unrelated trends has resulted in two U.S. supermarket chains, Whole Foods and Wegmans, offering Florida lionfish, which has a white, delicate flesh, to consumers with much fanfare. Early signs suggest that the state’s fishery might just be big enough to protect the native denizens of at least some reefs from being decimated.

Read the full story at the Alaska Dispatch News

NOAA Seeks Comments on an Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit for a Study to Test Trap Designs for Capturing Lionfish

August 17, 2016 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries is accepting comments on an application for an exempted fishing permit from the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association (FKCFA). The FKCFA proposes to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of several trap designs for capturing lionfish in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. This study, to be conducted in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, would also derive biological and life history information to improve lionfish control. In addition, the project would utilize an outreach and education program to inform the public about the status of lionfish as an invasive species, efforts to control the spread of the population, and lionfish as a consumer food source.

Dates:

Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on September 15, 2016.

Addresses:

You may submit comments on the application, identified by RIN 0648-XE046, by any of the following methods:

E-mail: 0648.XE046.Association.Lionfish.EFP@noaa.gov

. Include in the subject line of the e-mail the following document identifier: “Lionfish EFP.”

Mail: Susan Gerhart, NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

Program Concept

The one-year monthly sampling program would occur year-round aboard FKCFA commercial fishing vessels. The proposal has yet to be funded, thus the intensity of sampling cannot be estimated at this time. FKCFA would fish 25 units of four different trap designs on each set, not to exceed 100 days per year in each area, to determine which designs are most productive. Initial sampling would occur off South Carolina, both coasts of Florida, and in the Florida Keys.

NOAA Fisheries finds this application warrants further consideration, and is seeking public comment on the application. A final decision on issuance of the exempted fishing permit will depend on NOAA Fisheries’ review of public comments received, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s recommendation, consultations with the affected states, and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as a determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.

Divers score success against lionfish, but no one expects victory

July 22, 2016 — Divers caught 1,250 lionfish on a single day off Fort Lauderdale during a July competition aimed at controlling these venomous predators from the Indian and Pacific oceans.

While the huge haul was a victory in the fight for Florida’s near-shore waters, most people are betting the lionfish will ultimately win the war. Scientists say these quick-breeding invaders have spread beyond any hope of control, and we’ll have to live with them as we’ve learned to live with other non-native creatures in South Florida, such as green iguanas, wild hogs and Africanized honeybees.

“We are definitely not thinking this is a species that will be eradicated,” said Amanda Nalley, spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Our goal is to control the population, get people interested in it as a food fish.”

Read the full story at the Sun Sentinel 

Florida lionfish: King of the ocean no more?

June 15, 2016 — Marc Gralnick’s eyes dart toward the beastly fish in the Whole Foods Market display case.

“Wild-looking thing, isn’t it?” he said.

Three whole lionfish, striped and menacing-looking, lay bulbous-eyed on ice like a dare. Gralnick isn’t scared. He hasn’t stopped thinking about eating lionfish since he had it at a Miami restaurant recently.

“I’m totally into it,” he said. “I loved it. I would have ordered more if it were socially appropriate for one person to order two entrees.”

Gralnick, who lives in Midtown, came to the South Beach store shopping for fresh vegetables and fish for him and his girlfriend. But he’s coming home with an added surprise.

Starting this month, all 26 Whole Foods Markets in Florida will carry lionfish. They are the first national retailer to carry this invasive fish, as prized for its rich flavor as it is reviled for how quickly this one-time aquarium novelty has overtaken Florida’s coasts.

Thanks to a series of venomous spines along its back, lionfish has no natural predators in our waters. It devours any and all kinds of native sea life. And it is often spit up by everything from giant grouper to nurse sharks. Those spines not only ward off potential enemies, they’ve also deterred diners and home cooks. Until now.

Man — thanks to men like Gralnick — is putting itself back on top of the food chain.

Read the full story at the Bradenton Herald

Fighting Back Against Invasive Lionfish

June 6, 2016 — Invasive lionfish are a massive problem that requires creative solutions. One of the most popular approaches to lionfish management is the lionfish derby: An all-day fishing competition where teams collect as many lionfish as possible to compete for prizes. Often, the events bring together local communities in the evening to learn about (and snack on!) lionfish.

In May, Ocean Conservancy was thrilled to help sponsor the 2016 Sebastian Lionfish Fest hosted by Indian River County, Florida. I sat down with Kendra Cope, Indian River County’s coastal environmental specialist and sea turtle coordinator, to learn more about her efforts.

OC: What inspired you to host this event on lionfish?

Kendra: Lionfish have been seen in all coastal waters inside Indian River County, Florida (IRC) jurisdiction, including our local estuary the Indian River Lagoon. Lionfish are known predators of recreational and economically important Florida native fish like red snapper and grouper and have been observed along the county’s natural nearshore wormrock reefs and constructed artificial reefs.

This area also has a niche for those who love fresh, local, delicious foods. The area is home to many first class chefs who enjoy crafting dishes with new flavors. All of this created a great foundation for the food, fun, and educational outreach provided by the inaugural Sebastian Lionfish Fest.

Read the full story at Ocean Conservancy