Connect to a piece of seaweed, were some fish eggs that are laid in Florida and the Caribbean catch a ride in the Gulf Stream to the coast line of Rhode Island. When they hatch they stand little to no chance to surviving as soon as the water cools down starting in th Fall. But a group of divers found them on an annual basis. For apporxmatley 25 years the New England Aquarium Dive Club has been doing this. In the Fall, about 200 divers were sent out to rescue as many juvenile fish as possible. Each year the fish that were rescued are donated to different aquariums and fish keepers.

With 70 people last year, the group caught their first lionfish. Usually the gruoup will catch 30 to 40 different fish. Butterflyfish are usually the most common kind found. This year the club was held in the conjunction. With there being warmer water, children and snorklers got involved as well. Al Bozza, the New England Aquarium Dive Club director, described this year’s rescue as a family event, and pointed to the education opportunity for children.

To read more about this get ahold of the Aquarium Fish International Janurary Issue.