November 3rd, 2009: First confirmed lionfish sighting on Bonaire
On October 26, 2009 two Texas divers from Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), Shawn Murray and Jason Wright, spotted a juvenile Lionfish at Nukove, on the North West coast of Bonaire. Since the beginning of this year the arrival of the Lionfish on Bonaire was expected.
The two divers who spotted the juvenile Lionfish did exactly the right thing. They videoed it for confirmation, they drew an incredibly accurate map and immediately reported to the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP). Immediate action was taken and the divers guided two BNMP employees to the exact location where they were able to collect the specimen without any difficulty. The juvenile Lionfish was euthanized right away and tissue samples were taken. These samples were taken for DNA studies to confirm the route of the spread of this invasive species in the Caribbean. This quick action was possible thanks to a thorough orientation where the right information (about what to do in case of a Lionfish sighting) was provided by Bonaire Dive and Adventure staff.
The Indo-pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) are the first invasive marine fish
to successfully establish in the tropical western Atlantic and Caribbean. Most likely they came
from private aquarium releases. The lionfish were first documented Southeast of Florida in the early
1990s, and since 2004 have rapidly invaded the northern and western Caribbean.The Lionfish are a major threat to local fish species, because fish do not see them as a predator, and they have no natural defenses against them. The abundance of Lionfish may quickly overtake those of native fauna and cause significant impact to Bonaire’s fishery, diving and tourism. Without immediate action, the long term impact of this invasion to the coral reef ecosystem of Bonaire could also be severe.
To anticipate its arrival the Bonaire National Marine Park organized several workshops to inform the dive industry and the general public of Bonaire. This was last April, and the result is obvious. Thanks to the thorough dive orientation, the two divers who spotted the Lionfish took the right actions.
If you see a Lionfish, please handle with extreme caution since all of their spines are venomous and can cause extreme pain. Please report location, depth and pertinent facts to the Bonaire National Marine Park at 717 – 8444 or 786 – 8444.
A konfirmá e promé presensha di e Lionfish na Boneiru
Riba Òktober 26, 2009 dos sambuyadó di Texas di Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), Shawn Murray i Jason Wright, a señalá e promé Lionfish hubenil na Nukove, den e área kostal Nort West di Boneiru. A pronostiká yegada di e Lionfish for di kuminsamentu di e aña aki.
E dos sambuyadónan e hasi eksaktamente lokual tabata rekerí. Nan e saka un video di dje pa konfirmá ku ta un Lionfish i despues nan a traha un mapa sumamente detayá di e área, i por último nan a reportá tur kos direktamente na Parke Nashonal Marino Boneiru (BNMP).
Aki a tuma akshon inmediato i e dos sambuyadónan a guia dos empleado di BNMP na e posishon eksakto di e piská. A logra di kue e piská sin ningun problema, i a mat’é inmediatamente, pa despues saka muestra di su karni pa determiná su profil di DNA. Pa medio di esaki por analisá e ruta i plamamentu di e espesie invasivo aki den Karibe.
E akshon rápido aki tabata posibel grásias na un bon orientashon suministrá na nos bishitantenan na komienso di nan fakansi ku e informashon korekto di kiko pa hasi en kaso nan señalá un Lionfish. Den a kaso aki esaki tabata duná di parti di staf di Bonaire Dive and Adventure.
E Lionfish di Oséano Pasifiko-Indio (Pterois volitans i Pterois miles) ta e promé piská invasivo ku a logra establesé su mes eksitosamente den área tropikal di Atlántiko west i Karibe. Mas probabel ta ku algun a hui òf ser liberá for di akuario privá. E Lionfish a ser dokumentá inisialmente Sùit-ost di Florida den promé añanan di dékada 90. Despues di 2004 rápidamente nan a invadí Karibe nort i west.Lionfish ta un menasa grandi pa espesienan di piská lokal pasobra e piskánan lokal no konosé nan i konsekuentemente no ta realisá nan peliger, ni nan no tin defensa natural kontra di nan. Un abundansha di Lionfish rápidamente por eliminá e founa lokal, i kousa impakto grandi riba peskeria Boneriano, sambuyamentu i turismo. Sin akshon inmediato, e impakto riba tèrmino largu riba nos sistema ekológiko di nos refnan por ta severo.
Pa antisipá e yegada di e Lionfish BNMP a organisá diferente workshop pa informá e industria di buseo i públiko en general di Boneiru. Esaki tabata na Aprel último, i e resultado ta opvio. Danki na e orientashon intensivo e dos sambuyadó ku a señalá e Lionfish a tuma e akshonnan korekto.
Si bo mira un Lionfish, tuma tur prekoushon pasobra su spiñanan ta hopi venenoso i por kousa doló inmenso. Por fabor nota e lugá eksakto, profundidat, I otro hechonan di importansha na Parke Nashonal Marino Boneiru na 717 – 8444 òf 786 – 8444.