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j;? - :ici t•-e �L?=J' •its %f you can't beat them,eat 54 them,"say lionfish hunters. -~ . Local restaurants and Puh)ix - „� ,��'+x''�'" `" ��• ..� �%- supermarkets a begun fea- turing d els hav ea- �''``• ,��z.- •�-.•r= turing the tasty fish,which are l harmless once cooked- r � {+ i i�� +! �R• right now but I think there's a possibility we can find new ways to capture or control them,"he says."Nature has a away of reaching equilibrium; it just may take a while." Maria, ever the optimist, answers me by pointing out the black T-shirt she is wearing. Itfeatur es a picture of a lionfish with a message intended for the marine invader- "Prepare to be controlled,resistance is futile." 4 y U der a warm late afternoon sun and buffeted by g-(n• Z 2> e+wester)) breezes, I am cruising do+vn the Indian iver Lagoon++ith a friend in his 19-foot Grady White z runabout. %%fe've just left our dock at the Vero Beach Marina and look forward to an afternoon of catch-and-release fishing. Although we're hoping to snag a I0•pound trophy fish, we'll be satisfied +with the small snapper and redfish that usually take r out Fresh shrimp bait. As we drop our lines into the lagoon,1 can't help but-remerh- � ber my recent talk with marine biologist and lionfish expert Mark Hixon,who has called the fish's presence in the Atlantic"the most devastating marine invasion in histo Now,beneath these'seem ingil calm, tannic waters of the Indian River Lagoon,these same foreign invaders are quietly, constantly adapting to their new home and eating their way through some local fish stocks. "It's too late to eradicate the lionfish," a ps I �+: !' ✓`r� ��' said Hixon."let's just � �•¢ __ f=�!:� ;��y` � ' hope we can find a way to control them. The ba t[le for the.la '.4 t goon has just begun. WHAT CAN Y Z X11 _ -x-.. •:; .; .':, :J tff � � ?�.C�•;?� �`'f a-�• ;�=s�;i`{i3'.3�:`.'r• e :. 1 Because relatively little is known about lionfish and Z��,��,'- -•,;,.,� r ��,,. ;�i��-`'- - � t especialh the invasive fish that have turned up in the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, , scientists are asking the public for help. ! ! Here are some things-you can do: f • Never release aquarium fish into the wild. I i •Take part in lionfish roundups or tournaments,to t t` ` ?.- , ��.• r t i } , reduce the local population of lionfish.- •Eat more lionfish.The white,flaky meat is safe and tasty.(Also,some claim it is an aphrodisiac!) •Report local lionfish sightings to the Florida Fish and. VEPO aEAc^ Wildlife Conservation Commission..You can downloadMAGAZINE ,� J the FFWCC's special app to do this:(www.myfw-c.comi �a vaer. w 201, reportlionfish)or email details of your sighting to 2 •< - ",. -- r 188 Jeff Beal directly at teff.Beal @MVFu%C.com- a r r ✓ -_ --s=� ;^�; •"''•.' ( Z_, � " I .�-`1�',• ' �_.:, 46