News Release
July 15, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Phone:
E-mail:
April Price
772-285-1646
apriceassoc@aol.com
1st MCAC Reef Fund Lionfish Round-Up Makes a Difference
Stuart, FL – (July 15, 2011) — The MCAC Reef Fund Committee hosted its 1st Annual Lionfish
Round-Up in conjunction with the 5th Annual Reef Builders Fishing Tournament this past
weekend. “We consider this Round-Up, which included 28 divers removing 145 lionfish from the
local reef system, a huge success. We are already planning for a bigger, better event next year,”
said Kathy FitzPatrick, Martin County’s Coastal Engineer.
The lionfish are an invasive species that threaten reef systems throughout the Caribbean and
along the east coast of the United States from the Florida Keys through the coast of the
Carolinas. “Divers on one boat out of Jupiter Inlet saw lionfish at every turn,” said FitzPatrick.
Diver Kurt France was on that boat and captured 47 lionfish to claim the tournament prize for both
the most fish and the smallest fish which measured 5 inches. Those fish earned France a cash
award of $750. Diver Gary Guzzardo brought home the largest lionfish, measuring 14 inches, and
was awarded $250.
For this one day event, the Florida Park Service allowed divers to harvest lionfish from the St.
Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park. After being measured, the majority of the lionfish measured were
turned over to Jeff Beal of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Scientists from FWC’s Fish and Wildlife research Institute will study the fish to help determine
how we can keep this invasive species from decimating our natural reef habitats. “Because of the
success of this first time effort, the Martin County Artificial Reef Fund Committee (MCAC) plans to
hold additional events focused on the impacts from lionfish in our area. I believe that if we have
a chance to curb the invasion of this non-native species, we will need to be aggressive with our
approach,” says FitzPatrick.
It is important to remember that though this is an edible, invasive species that needs to be
controlled, they must be handled with care due to their toxic dorsal and pectoral fins. Visit your
local dive shop for proper instructions and equipment. Removal of any species from a Florida
State Park or Marine Sanctuary (such as Pecks Lake Reef) is strictly prohibited without special
permitting from the State of Florida.
Lionfish Facts

Lionfish (Pterois volitans and Peterois miles) are a venomous, spiny fish with a native
habitat range in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

They are popular with aquarium enthusiasts around the world. It is likely these fish were
introduced to the Atlantic via the aquarium trade or ballast tanks of transoceanic vessels.

Lionfish are known to be highly territorial and can be found offshore or in estuaries. In
Florida, lionfish have been found in all water depths; on hard bottom, mangrove,
seagrass, coral and artificial reefs.

These areas provide a perfect concentrated food source that is comprised of a wide
variety of small fish (including economically important gamefish) and crustaceans
(notably lobster, crabs and shrimp). They also furnish excellent structure and hiding
areas from which the lionfish can ambush and corner prey with its large fins before
swallowing it whole. Lionfish can consume prey over 50% of their own body size and
expand their stomachs to 30 times their normal size.

Reproduction can occur every 4 days with up to 30,000 eggs per spawn. The lionfish
eggs hatch in just 2 days and settle on a reef within a month.
Here in Florida, the lionfish has no known predators other than human beings and grow much
larger than their native habitat. Impacts to reefs from the large numbers of lionfish, their voracious
appetite for native reef dwellers and lack of natural predators can be swift and severe. The
imbalance to the ecosystem and the impact to our economy make this an issue that touches
everyone.
For information on future Lionfish Round-Ups, please refer to the Martin County Artificial Reef
website; www.martinreefs.com or the MCAC Reef fund’s website; www.mcacreeffund.org .
The MCAC Reef Fund is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) established to enhance the artificial reef
program of Martin County, Florida.