LIONFISH IN TEXAS, 1: The Lionfish, like many Americans 
has a voracious appetite, which endangers native marine 
species…we explain ahead on Passport to Texas.

This is Passport to Texas

The lionfish, native to the Pacific Ocean, is a common 
species in the aquarium trade. 

02—But a couple of them have gotten loose

Leslie Hartman—Matagorda Bay Program Leader—says 
lionfish wasted no time getting busy making more of 
their kind.

17— They get to reproductive age in one year. They breed every 
four days. They can be found in an inch of water. They can be 
found in 12-hunderd feet of water. These guys are really super 
successful. And they’re Americanized. They’re willing to eat past 
the point when they’re full, until they get fat.

And what they eat are native marine species. 

21—We’re really concerned about how many of our fish, shrimp 
and crabs their eating. In the Caribbean—and they’ve been there 
quite a number of years before us—a single Lionfish on a little 
coral reef, consumed 80% of that season’s young.

Because of their voracious appetites, their reproductive 
prowess, and the fact that they haven’t any predators…

13—We’re really concerned long term for the effect it’s going to 
have on all of our fisheries. Whether it’s the commercial shrimp 
and blue crab, whether it’s the recreational snapper, redfish, 
trout—we just know we need to be concerned.

Tomorrow Leslie Hartman tells us about what’s being 
done to prevent lionfish from becoming a problem in 
Texas. 

The Sport fish restoration program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti. 


Total sound bite time:		                 0:53.0
Maximum Script time:		                 0:32.0                     Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25