Lionfish Control in the Dry Tortugas
A National Park Service diver removing invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Dry Tortugas, a small group of islands between Key West, Florida, and Cuba. It is believed that these invasive fish have been present in the Atlantic since the mid 1990s, but they have only invaded the Dry Tortugas in the past few years. Due to their voracious appetites and lack of predators, Lionfish have been disrupting the ecological balance of coral reef ecosystems. Crews in National Parks throughout south Florida, including the Dry Tortugas, are currently attempting to control Lionfish populations with targeted removal to protect local coral reef ecosystems.
