The Florida Fish and Natural world Conservation Fee’s annual lionfish looking festival simply wrapped up, and it broke data for each attendance and effects, the Castle Value Megastar-Telegram reported.The masses of divers who entered the contest had three-and-a-half months to catch as most of the invasive species as they may. When all was once mentioned and performed, over 31,000 lionfish have been got rid of from Florida waters.Lionfish, local to the Indo-Pacific Sea and the Crimson Sea, first seemed off the coast of South Florida in 1985, in step with the Florida Fish and Natural world Conservation Fee. Out of doors in their local habitat, the predatory species has been ready to outcompete local species like snapper and grouper whilst additionally consuming fish that serve necessary purposes in keeping up coral reefs. Their presence has disrupted all the ecosystem, which has led Florida (and different puts) to get ingenious in enlisting the general public’s lend a hand to keep an eye on their populations.Lionfish looking competitions have popped up in puts similar to Costa Rica and Mexico.”The Lionfish Problem raises consciousness of this invasive species and serves as an effective way to get other people outside and excited by conservation via doing away with invasive lionfish,” FWC govt director Roger Younger mentioned in a press unlock, in step with the Castle Value Megastar-Telegram.Whilst the lionfish have spines which can be venomous to predators, their flesh isn’t venomous as soon as the spines are got rid of, because of this that they’re secure for people to devour — and in addition, reportedly, scrumptious. As such, officers are encouraging other people to devour them to lend a hand curb populations.Watch now: How did Typhoon Helene wreak havoc thus far inland?The “If we will be able to’t beat them, let’s devour them!” option to controlling invasive species has additionally been implemented to many different crops and animals, together with Asian carp, blue catfish, Himalayan blackberries, and extra.After all, any species this is invasive to 1 space is local to some other space, and vice versa, so in case you are concerned about serving to your native ecosystem and having a delectable deal with on the identical time, glance into which invasive species officers are encouraging other people to devour extra of the place you are living.Sign up for our unfastened publication for excellent information and helpful guidelines, and do not leave out this cool listing of straightforward tactics to lend a hand your self whilst serving to the planet.