Experts recommend harvesting, cooking invasive lionfish to curb their spread in US waters

An invasive fish is destroying Atlantic marine ecosystems, but one solution could help to turn the tide, according to A-Z Animals.

Lionfish have been able to take over the American east coast and the Mediterranean thanks to a lack of natural predators and a stomach that can expand to 30 times its original size. The voracious predator doesn't even fear sharks, thanks in part to toxic quills along its back. 

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To combat their spread, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recommended harvesting lionfish for culinary purposes. 

"It is unlikely that lionfish will be eradicated from [the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary], but their densities can be controlled locally through removal, and consumption is a side benefit," said the NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries Lionfish Response Plan. "Lionfish are a delicious and environmentally conscientious seafood choice considering many native reef-fish species are heavily exploited."

Many chefs have already started using the abundant supply of lionfish. 

Invasive species in general are a major challenge. When humans bring a plant or animal from its home into a different environment, it's free of the natural checks and balances it evolved with. In a new habitat without population control, it has the chance to outcompete native species and become invasive. 

This puts strain on vital resources, denying them to native species, which can then undergo a population decline. This causes a downturn in biodiversity and a loss of important ecosystem services. 

That might sound like an abstract problem, but those services are used by humans, too. Lionfish feed upon commercially important fish stocks like snapper, grouper, and hogfish, for example. One study estimated that invasive species cause hundreds of billions in damages worldwide every year. 

In addition to putting invasive species on dinner plates, it's possible to keep them in check by managing natural spaces. Taking local action to advocate for protected marine areas can empower the removal of invasive species and ensure native fish and plants can thrive. 

You can even make a difference in your own front yard by supporting the growth of native plants instead of invasive ones. 

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