TIL: Lionfish Jewelry Can Help Save the Ocean | Today I Learned

There are a ton of fish in the sea, but there is one fish in particular that we are working very hard to take out, and that is the invasive lionfish. Lionfish were introduced off the coast of South Florida in the mid-1980s. Lionfish are prolific breeders; one lionfish and all of her offspring can produce 8.1 quintillion eggs in just three months. They’re kind of like the Hoover vacuums of the sea; they gobble up anything they can fit in their mouths, up to half their size.

Unfortunately, that includes a lot of the native fish species that are ecologically and economically important. One of the really innovative ways people are tackling the invasive lionfish problem actually involves turning the fins and spines of lionfish into jewelry. So now the landing value of the lionfish is higher, and fishermen are urged to go after lionfish more and more.

They are the ultimate conversation starter. Who knew that wearing a fish could help save the ocean? So you probably heard of BASE jumping, but do you really know what BASE stands for?