Several local removal programs have been initiated to control this invasion, but it is not known whether removal efforts can substantially reduce lionfish numbers. Derbies have resulted in up to 1,400 lionfish being harvested in a day. However, a single lionfish can produce as many as 200,000 eggs per month, easily replenishing the population’s numbers.

Quick recovery
A study by Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, at the University of Florida predicts that an annual exploitation rate between 35 and 65% would be required to cause recruitment overfishing on lionfish populations. Lionfish quickly recovered from high removal rates, reaching 90% of unfished biomass six years after a 50-year simulated removal program.

Quantifying lionfish natural mortality and the size-selective vulnerability to harvest are the most important knowledge gaps for future research. The scientists further suggest that a complete eradication of lionfish through fishing is unlikely, and substantial reduction of adult abundance will require a long-term commitment and may be feasible only in small, localized areas where annual exploitation can be intense over multiple consecutive years.

Killing lionfish
As a result of this established and destructive invasion, many countries have instituted lionfish removal programs. These programs include initiatives such as creating a special license to allow the spearing of lionfish on nearshore reefs and lionfish kill orders intended to involve the general public in removal efforts.

The largest initiatives involve using recreational divers to remove lionfish during derby events, and focusing commercial divers and fishers on harvesting lionfish as a food fish. Developing lionfish as a commercial or recreational fishery has been proposed as a potential long-term solution, but it is not yet fully understood what level of exploitation might be required to control lionfish populations.

Dreadful predator
The lionfish (Pterois volitans)and (Pterois miles), are established in the offshore waters of the Southeast United States, Caribbean, and are presently invading the Gulf of Mexico and South America. The lionfish invasion is concerning due to the danger of human health risks by venomous lionfish spines and because of numerous potential ecological effects on native hard-bottom, mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef communities.

For example, lionfish have been shown to reduce native fish recruitment on experimental patch reefs in The Bahamas and reductions in reef fish recruitment may be exacerbated by lionfish predation upon juvenile native fish in important nursery habitats, such as mangroves and seagrass beds. This is possibly limiting the supply of economically important reef fish recruits.

Source: Barbour AB, Allen MS, Frazer TK, Sherman KD (2011): Evaluating the Potential Efficacy of Invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Removals. PLoS ONE 6(5): e19666. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019666

â—„ Previous | Image of | Next â–º

-