# Lionfish invasion---more or less than last year?



## snake 166 (Oct 2, 2007)

What are you divers seeing on the reefs? Have conditions changed with respect to Lionfish populations---and other species as well?


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

I have seen many more lionfish this year compared to last year. Some reefs are covered, some still have only a few lionfish on them. We are killing as many as we can.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

The inshore reefs have much less than they first did. And the deeper ones also show a decline but you can bet the inaccessible ones beyond divers capabilities are starting to level off to a normal population. Maybe Bryan (Whac-em) can acquire an ROV and check them out. Maybe the lionfish will get the hint that inshore isn't a safe place and get the hell out of Dodge and set up residence offshore.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

sealark said:


> The inshore reefs have much less than they first did. And the deeper ones also show a decline but you can bet the inaccessible ones beyond divers capabilities are starting to level off to a normal population. Maybe Bryan (Whac-em) can acquire an ROV and check them out. Maybe the lionfish will get the hint that inshore isn't a safe place and get the hell out of Dodge and set up residence offshore.


 The lionfish seemed to disappear from many near-shore reefs this past winter. This year the deeper I dive the more lionfish I tend to see. There are plenty down around 180'. I hope to hit some deeper spots this summer to check them out as well.


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## Billybob+ (Jul 12, 2011)

with respect to other species, the single largest threat to biosphere inbalance in depths i dive remains the ever overpopulated yet nearly extinct Red Snapper. 
they have all the inshore spots so out of balance i can only say good luck ever catching a lilimit of anything else in less than 200'


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Bill evolution works the same for snapper. Overpopulate and they will slow down on reproducing until they reach an acceptable level. The bait will do the same thing. The only thing that can upset that balance is all of us humans. Yes regulations are needed to control us humans with superior knowledge. That excludes my spelling and punchuation when using my smart phone to post....


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