Skip to main content
NC State Home
North Carolina Sea Grant
NC Sea Grant Logo Hook, Line and Science

Invasive Species

image: blue catfish.

Aug 5, 2024

Will consumers eat more blue catfish?

Researchers surveyed seafood processors and consumers to gauge demand at the dinner table for this harmful species.
image: Styela plicata by Brenda Bowler, Texas PWD/CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Oct 2, 2023

Are Warming Waters Causing “Caribbean Creep”?

A large-scale Mid-Atlantic survey reveals the spread of new species.

Lionfish. Credit: NOAA.

Sep 18, 2023

Can We Use Deepwater Traps to Catch Lionfish?

Scientists compared how three different traps worked on the invasive species.
Lionfish, courtesy of NOAA.

Oct 11, 2021

What Affects the Success of Divers When They Try to Remove Lionfish?

Experience — and time of day — are key factors influencing the effectiveness of lionfish removal.

Dec 21, 2020

One-Minute Science: What Does the Invasive Lionfish Eat?

Watch this video about how researchers assessed the diets of the invasive lionfish to determine whether the species has a preferred food.

Jun 8, 2020

What Should We Do with Unused Marine Bloodworms and Packing Material?

Research shows the seaweed that distributors use to pack the worms can carry non-native species, which are are harmful to the environment.

Mar 16, 2020

Does Hand-Crank Electrofishing Help Battle Invasive Catfish?

Hand-crank electrofishing — or “telephoning” — is a recreational fishing technique that has been legal in North Carolina since 1985. As the name suggests, it involves using a telephone generator to produce low-voltage alternating current by turning a hand crank, which stuns catfish.

Aug 26, 2019

Can We Control the Lionfish Population by Hunting and Eating It?

The "eat ‘em to beat ‘em" strategy might only make a small dent in the pesky fish’s numbers.

Feb 11, 2019

What Does the Invasive Lionfish Eat?

Scientists have assumed that lionfish are not picky when it comes to consuming prey — but what if they are?

Jan 28, 2019

How Are Blue Catfish Infiltrating New Waters?

Understanding the impact of invasive species on natural ecosystems is an important field of study in fisheries science.