Normally, the abundance of a wild species is hailed as a sign of a healthy ecosystem. However, that is not the case for the lionfish, an invasive species which is rapidly multiplying in the waters of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and the US Eastern Seaboard. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), it is the first documented case of an invasive species establishing a self-sustaining population in the region. Once confined to the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, lionfish are now spreading throughout the West Atlantic.

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The Spread of Lionfish in the Atlantic

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