b'Others had begun to take notice too. The National Marine Sanctuary Association (sanctuaries.noaa.gov) considers the lionfish to be an invasive species which preys on ecosystems and damages coral reefs. A single female lionfish canrelease 15,000 egg clusters regularly. Considering that their lifespan is between five and 15 years, their populationcan also expand exponentially. Over the last several decades the population has spread as far north as Massachusettsand as far south as Venezuela. Theyre also well established in the Caribbean, and have been spotted in both the Gulf of Mexico and, more recently, the Mediterranean. Theyve come a long way considering theyre native to Asia-Pacificwaters. The biggest problem with lionfish is what they eat,says Dr. Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. They are what we call generalists, which means they will eat just about anything they can capture. Over 170 species of fish have been found in the stomachs oflionfish. And because they are such good hunters, and native fish are so naive to the threat posed by them, lionfish can significantly reduce native fish biomass in a very short time. Without fish and the services they provide, coral reef systems collapse. It could be said that lionfish have an aesthetic appeal. The 12 varieties are distinctive, with their typical red, white, cream or black bands, complemented by lengthy, venomous, spiky fin rays.Their exotic look makes them a prime aquarium candidate, and isbelieved to be a likely reason why they spread. Current speculation is that six red lionfish were released in Florida waters when Hurricane Andrew destroyed an aquarium in 1992. A lionfish commonly seen in the Philippines was also spotted in southern Florida waters in the JV Hart & Roger Muller at the Emerald Coast Open,Destin, Florida mid-80s, indicating that someone might have purposely released it.4'