I was wondering if anyone has any idea how the Lionfish got to Bonaire? As we know, it is best believed to have been released in Biscayne Bay, FL...

But looking at maps, it makes sense that it would be at all points NORTH of Florida....the currents run that way...there is no current that run SOUTH towards the Caribbean.... unless it goes past Europe and Africa then across the Atlantic towards South America....Is it assumed that this Ambush predator, that doesn't swim that much or far, SWAM against the currents of the world to get there?

Just curious?

If my (failing) memory serves me, the first USA Lionfish sightings were in North Carolina. They then migrated south, finally reaching the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. They then went farther south, till they made it in Belize. Ocean currents then carried fertilized spawn to Bonaire.
Others will chip in to correct me.
Here are a couple links that may help.
Both are dated.

http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish/media


http://www.bonaireinsider.com/index.php/bonaireinsider/2008/12/24

May be interested in some articles that I have written on The Naturalist page for the dive shop where I work.
http://www.bonairediveandadventure.com/thenaturalist.html

From the NOAA website

"Lionfish have been reported along the southeastern United States coast from Florida to North Carolina. Juvenile lionfish have been collected in waters off Long Island, New York, and Bermuda. Lionfish were first spotted off the coast of North Carolina during summer 2000. During summer 2004, at least 155 lionfish were collected at 19 different locations off the coast of North Carolina, including hard bottom habitats and shipwrecks. Previous reports of lionfish include six that were accidentally released in Biscayne Bay, Florida, when a beachside home aquarium broke during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Further intentional releases of aquarium pets into the Atlantic Ocean have very likely contributed to the Florida population. There are additional diver reports of lionfish off Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Florida, from the early 1990s."


This is my research if it.... yep I agree they were spotted there, but released in 1992 in Florida....anyway, how did the get south? Their larvae would have followed the currents..Plankton can't fight a current..

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/factsheet.html

Thanks Jerry..I was thinking about Ballast water as well.....nothing else makes sense unless there were more released in the ocean in South America....anyway, the little bastards are there now...time to get rid of them.

Todd, not sure what map you are using of currents, but there are a lot more than you quoted. Also, take a look at the USGS site and you will see the annual appearance picture. They likely got to Bonaire from the west, possibly as an egg sac, since they all appeared together as little small guys.

http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/lionfish_progression/lionfish_progression.html

A liveaboard dive boat named Nekton Rorqual was visiting St Croix, 400 miles north of Bonaire. The first Lionfish here were sighted all on one dive, eight individuals all photographed on that dive by a visitor. The Nekton boat had been on that mooring the day before, having just arrived from Florida via the Bahamas. There after, it seemed that Lionfish were caught on dives made during the few days after the Rorqual was on the different moorings here. The boat home ported in Puerto Rico.

Just last week, the day after a cruise ship was on our pier for one day, six Lionfish were captured under or very near the pier. The pier is dived daily by many people. The only time diving isn't allowed is when a ship is docked.

The sea current goes by St Croix from east to west toward Florida. St Croix is surrounded by very deep water, as much as 13,000 feet to the northwest, but generally well over 1,000 feet Lionfish are mostly being found near where ships come and go, the ports and piers.

There is no documented releases of lionfish from ships, period. So your anecdotal information is the only report that I have seen. In discussions with the experts, it is agreed that Cruise Ships do not offload ballast because they come in and leave with the same tonnage (passengers). However large cargo ships, or perhaps large private ships do exchange ballast. However, the fish being sighted immediately after the Nekton Roqual was moored does not appear to be the culprit. Any release of lionfish egg masses would have to go through the period of development and incubation, then hatching, drifting and settlement to the reef, which could take 4 to 6 weeks. Lionfish have no trouble drifting over deep, deep water and then settling on the reefs later. And I doubt seriously if the private liveaboard transported juveniles to St. Croix.

Jerry do you still work out of the Dive Shop next to the Sand Dollar? I took a Fish ID class / Dive with you a few years back.

Todd

Yes, Todd, that would still be me at Bonaire DIve and Adventure, where Bari is our home reef.

More and more, I'm beginning to realize that a single release occurred somewhere upwind from Bonaire (East) and this entire egg mass was blown in and they settled on our reefs. Otherwise, if their origins were from some other island where lionfish were increasing, we would continue to get lionfish of all sizes, because there, they would continue to reproduce. It is a bold-faced assertion, with no evidence. Just a thought experiment-type of judgement, which is legitimate when we have no real evidence.

I say it most likely came from the east coast of South America most likely.... Are all of the Lionfish you guys catching the same size and relative age?...Or are you catching all sizes etc....

Jerry, did we ever meet when we were there in December? I didn't realized you worked at BDA. I met and talked frequently with a lot of the DMs and there was a gal there whose name eludes me but I don't remember meeting you.

e.