Lionfish invading the Mediterranean

[Spearfishing Life]

I noticed the past months a sharp decline in the amount of lionfish in my area (tymbaki-matala, crete), have you noticed something similar?

It could be of course that my systematic cleaning of the area actually helps, or that something is troubling them. I did notice an increase in lagocephalus too. Little ones. Perhaps related? Can a lionfish eat a puffer and survive?

Another change is that the local lionfish don't seem to wander around anymore. They're now all hiding, even on calm sunny days with no waves.

Ηello man and happy new year.
I dont live in Crete i just visit from time to time.
Probably this time of the year they move to deeper waters where the water temp is more constant and doesnt have big differences from one day to another.When we went there, the only lionfish we found where down to 25-30m!!!

 

[Leander]

Ηello man and happy new year.
I dont live in Crete i just visit from time to time.
Probably this time of the year they move to deeper waters where the water temp is more constant and doesnt have big differences from one day to another.When we went there, the only lionfish we found where down to 25-30m!!!

Καλή χρονιά to you too

They definitely go deeper during winter. In the summer I saw them even right below the surface, almost at the beach. But last winter there were so many, I was taking 20-40 every week just in this area. So it feels odd. There's another hotspot east of here that I know of. Now that we can go fishing again without hiding in the shadows and feeling like a criminal, I plan to go there and have a look sometime soon.

 

[Spearfishing Life]

Καλή χρονιά to you too

They definitely go deeper during winter. In the summer I saw them even right below the surface, almost at the beach. But last winter there were so many, I was taking 20-40 every week just in this area. So it feels odd. There's another hotspot east of here that I know of. Now that we can go fishing again without hiding in the shadows and feeling like a criminal, I plan to go there and have a look sometime soon.

As soon as they allow us to change between municipalities i will arrange the 2nd Lionfish Removal in Greece probably in the Ierapetra area!