Lionfish are beautiful. Their bodies are covered in stripes, and they have long, delicate fins that are nearly translucent in places. Native to the Pacific and Indian Oceans, they have unfortunately become not only a nuisance, but a major problem affecting reef health across America’s Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastlines.

Lionfish were first identified off the Florida coast in 1985, and have spread widely since. They can be found from the Bahamas up to North Carolina, all from an invasion that likely originated from only a handful of fish. Because of the problems they cause, there are no restrictions on their harvest in Florida.

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