An army of 120-strong has lent its efforts to a campaign to rid Bermuda of an invading armada of predators.

However experts say the number of volunteers needs to be greater if the Island is to stamp out the lionfish, now threatening the ecosystem of our reefs and fisheries.

The invasive species has decimated fish populations in the Caribbean and will do the same here, unless kept at bay.

Chris Flook launched the Lionfish Culling Programme last year to encourage divers and fishermen to hunt them down.

The marine collections officer at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, says it is unlikely we will ever fully eradicate them, but by keeping a watch and culling them on sight, we can relieve the pressure on other fish populations.

"This is a problem we now face forever but by jumping on them now, we have the potential to hold them back," he said. "I don't think we will ever eradicate them but if we keep the pressure on, then yes, we will have lionfish but we will still have other fish as well."

After attending one of his education and training seminars, people can then apply to the Ministry of the Environment for a licence to cull lionfish.

The permit allow divers to kill them on scuba within a mile.

Although handnets can be used, the preferred method is a spear with a paralyser tip, which minimises the chance of being stung. Spears must be less than five feet in length. The best way to handle the fish is by grabbing its face, avoiding the venomous spines on its dorsal, anal and pelvic fins on its top and bottom. The fish can then be dumped in a bucket of eugenol as a means of euthanasia.

By bringing the specimens to Mr. Flook, the Lionfish Project team leader can then gather scientific data which will be shared with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in the US to help the regional fight against the invasive species. Mr. Flook also wants Islanders to report any sightings to the BAMZ hotline.

"Right now we have the potential of jumping on them. Bermuda is the only country with a programme set up to get a licence to go out and eradicate them," he said.

"In ten years' time, if these lionfish continue what they're doing in the Caribbean and we manage to keep them under control, then Bermuda could be the prime diving destination in the Atlantic.

"But if we don't manage to keep them under control and they end up eating all our fish, it will affect tourism as no one will want to dive here."

Mr. Flook added there was also the public health risk of being stung to consider.

His proactive licensing programme in Bermuda is now being considered by Caribbean neighbours such as the Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Honduras in Central America.

"They are such an aggressive predator they are really causing problems in the Caribbean," said Mr. Flook. "These fish are constantly feeding because they have to work so hard to get food in their native range of the Pacific. They don't know when to stop, they are just programmed to eat and eat, their metabolism is so fast."

He said: "They've also got an attitude that sets them apart. While most fish will try and hide from you, they are fearless. They know they have that protection of the venom in their spines.

"These guys are apex predators, there's nothing different from them and a 10ft shark on the reef. They also grow very quickly and reproduce very fast."

He said that whereas the species would average 10-13 inches in size in the Pacific, the biggest one found in the Atlantic has measured 18 inches.

"They're almost getting twice as big which means they are eating a lot more here," said Mr. Flook. "They have turned into real monsters and right now we are playing 'catch up' in dealing with them."

A community-wide effort will be needed to keep these invasive species from destroying our ecosystems. Mr. Flook said: "Please try your best to catch them. I also need any information at this point, as to where you see them, their size, water depth and temperature, and time of day."

Contact the lionfish hotline on 293-4464 ext. 820, or e-mail lionfish@gov.bm.

LIONFISH FACTFILE

Lionfish are indigenous to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, but are now expanding rapidly in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

It is thought they were first introduced into Biscayne Bay, Florida, in 1992 from a private aquarium in a waterside home swept into the waters as a result of Hurricane Andrew.

While some blame aquarium owners for contributing to the problem by dumping lionfish when they outgrow their tanks, other theories suggest they may have been transported to the Atlantic through the ballast of ships.

They are now regularly sighted in the western Atlantic, from Long Island in the north down to Uruguay.

This year they were spotted in the Florida Keys for the first time and environmentalists now fear they will spread into the Gulf region.

Two species have been found in the Atlantic miles and volitans.

A female lionfish can lay up to 30,000 eggs at a time. The lionfish has no natural predators in the Atlantic, so most will survive to adulthood and continue the reproductive cycle.

They were first spotted in the Bahamas in 2004 and are now considered the most dominant fish in the waters of Nassau.

The population is so large it is estimated they are eating up to half a million fish in each square kilometre.

Not only is it threatening the country's fishing industry, destroying reef fish and fish stocks, but environmentalists fear the diving industry is now in peril as there may soon be nothing for vacationers to see but lionfish.

Lionfish eat commercial fish such as grouper and snapper juveniles, reef fish and crustaceans.

Swallowing up smaller fish who act as cleaning agents could also see larger fish wiped out due to parasites.

Scientists say the invasive species will also affect the health of coral reefs, by killing off species such as parrotfish which eat algae for example.

The first confirmed lionfish sighting in Bermuda was in 2000 when one was brought to the Agricultural Exhibition. It is thought the eggs had been carried on the Gulf Stream, with currents and eddies bringing it to our waters.

REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) is actively trying to monitor the fish through tagging projects in the Bahamas.

It is also lobbying the US government for greater microchipping of domestic pets and a tougher stance on the importation of lionfish.

It is estimated 750,000 are imported to Florida each year alone for the pet trade.

Lionfish display their spines containing venom to discourage predators. They deliver a painful sting through the spines on their dorsal, anal and pelvic fins.

Heating or freezing them denatures the venom.

After a sting, swelling is almost instantaneous but placing the limb in very hot water will denature the protein in the venom.

The pain described as similar to a bee sting but slightly nastier, usually wears off after an hour. However, anyone stung should seek medical attention.