ANGLERS are being urged to stay vigilant after a highly poisonous Lionfish was caught for the first time in UK waters. The invasive species, which was landed by Welsh angler Afron Summers during a session on Dorset’s Chesil Beach, is native to the Indo-Pacific and has fins packed full of venom that can prove fatal to humans.
Perhaps of more immediate concern is the catastrophic impact Lionfish can have on fragile marine ecosystems. Being voracious predators and capable of reproducing rapidly, they could decimate native fish populations.
A spokesperson for the Angling Trust’s South West branch said:
“We urge all anglers to keep a look out over the next few weeks. If you catch one, be careful, take some photos, and get in touch.”