Lionfish Invasion

The Georgia Aquarium dive team has a joint project out of Savannah, Georgia with NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in an effort to eradicate the non-native lionfish. Lionfish species (specifically the species Pterois volitans and to an extent Pterois miles) have invaded the Atlantic coasts of both the US and Central America.


Lionfish are normally found in the tropical waters of the Indian and South Pacific. No one is certain how they ended up here. Because they have no known predators in the Atlantic, lionfish are multiplying exponentially and disrupting the ecosystems already in place. We have joined with NOAA in an effort to contain this invasive predator and control the effect it is having on the Atlantic Ocean.
This is an ongoing project. Come check out some of the lionfish we collected off the coast in our Greys Reef exhibit.