Lionfish(Pterois volitans)

A native of the tropical waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, the lionfish is a venomous, fast-reproducing fish that has no known predators. Aggressive eaters that will eat almost anything, lionfish are capable of tipping the delicate balance of natural reefs and species. The venomous fish is capable of producing 30,000 to 40,000 eggs every few days.

This is great in its home range, but lionfish have been introduced into the waters of the south Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and have begun breeding and spreading. With no checks and balances for this invasive species, the possibility to cause harm to native species is very real.

Sportsmen are on high alert to kill any lionfish they encounter, and luckily they are delicious eating. A word of caution about their venomous spines in the fins; they can inflict painful stings if you get poked. There have been numerous sightings of lionfish in the waters of Louisiana, and the uphill battle to limit their impact has begun.