Diving Safety Tip - Reduce Contact With Lionfish

- Jorge Dario Gomez Castillo, M.D.

Aside from causing possible harm to swimmers and divers, this voracious predator can dramatically affect populations of native marine animals in the ecosystems to which they have been introduced.

Lionfish are venomous and belong to the Scorpaenidae family. These fish and those of the Synanceiidae family (such as Synanceia, or stonefish) comprise most of the existing venomous fish. Without putting life at risk, envenomations caused by scorpionfish and lionfish can cause significant symptoms due to the systemic action of their venoms.