GALVESTON – The public will soon have a chance to ask the experts about the spiky, venomous fish invading Texas coastal waters and threatening natural resources.

Lionfish have become a problem in recent years as they’ve spread into coastal and marine ecosystems in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. With few natural predators, these Indo-Pacific predators have spread throughout the region, reducing the number of fish, shrimp and crab species as well as degrading reefs. In areas of high density, they are causing both ecological and economic damage.

The 2nd Lone Star Lionfish Symposium will hold a public forum from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Moody Gardens IMAX. During this forum, the public will have the opportunity to ask the attending experts questions about lionfish threats and management.

The symposium, co-sponsored by the Houston Advanced Research Center and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will host partners from around Texas and the Gulf of Mexico to develop a unified, proactive and multifaceted approach to managing Texas’ lionfish invasion.

Other sponsors include the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association – Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, the Coastal Conservation Association of Texas and Texas Sea Grant. Participants include private industry, universities, government agencies and various non-governmental groups.

The public is welcome to join the experts at Moody Gardens located at One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, Texas, 77554. Guests will enter at the Visitor Center building and proceed through the Garden Lobby where the IMAX entry is on the right.  The appetizer/drink area will be in the Garden Lobby.

Free online registration available; registration appreciated although not required. Visit our Eventbrite page. Doors open at 6 p.m.