INVASIVE SPECIES. Beautiful and venomous, lionfish were released into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida in the 1980s—probably by someone who was keeping them in an aquarium. Facing no natural enemies in this new environment, the lionfish population has expanded throughout the coral reefs of the Caribbean. The problem? The lionfish are such big eaters—chomping down on 50 different species of fish—that they are threatening this already fragile ecosystem with collapse. What can be done? Some marine biologists think we should start eating THEM. Chefs in Florida and the Caribbean islands are putting lionfish filets on their menus—and if enough fishermen start catching these invaders, the other fish in the reefs may have a fighting chance. (Richard Whtcombe/ Shutterstock) Read More