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• 1. [Article] Testing the Cost Effectiveness of Manual Removal Strategies for the Containment of Invasive Lionfish Stocks in a Caribbean Reef

  Two species of the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) have rapidly expanded throughout the Gulf of Mexico, mid- and south Atlantic and the Caribbean following their introduction to Florida ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Testing the Cost Effectiveness of Manual Removal Strategies for the Containment of Invasive Lionfish Stocks in a Caribbean Reef Author: Valderrama, Diego, Fields, Kathryn Ann H. Two species of the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) have rapidly expanded throughout the Gulf of Mexico, mid- and south Atlantic and the Caribbean following their introduction to Florida coastal waters during the mid-1980s through releases from marine aquaria. There is overwhelming scientific agreement on the threats that this invasion poses to a wide range of native species, including grunts, snappers, and groupers. Because eradication of lionfish is unfeasible, scientists and conservationists are urging the implementation of lionfish management plans in order to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of the invasion to a manageable scale. Recent studies indicate that persistent removal of lionfish by spearheading does help control lionfish populations and help native fishing rebound. Through mathematical modeling and field tests, researchers have found that reducing lionfish stocks by about 75 to 90 percent leads to the rapid recovery of native fish numbers (Green et al. 2014). Data on prey fish and lionfish densities as well as spearheading catch rates were collected from lionfish derbies held at the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, Belize, in 2014. These data were used to estimate reef-specific target lionfish densities leading to the recovery of native prey species in the marine reserve as predicted by the Green et al. (2014) model. The fishing costs involved in reaching the target densities were also estimated to evaluate the overall effectiveness of manual removal techniques as a management strategy for invasive lionfish stocks. Title: Testing the Cost Effectiveness of Manual Removal Strategies for the Containment of Invasive Lionfish Stocks in a Caribbean Reef Author: Valderrama, Diego, Fields, Kathryn Ann H. Two species of the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) have rapidly expanded throughout the Gulf of Mexico, mid- and south Atlantic and the Caribbean following their introduction to Florida coastal waters during the mid-1980s through releases from marine aquaria. There is overwhelming scientific agreement on the threats that this invasion poses to a wide range of native species, including grunts, snappers, and groupers. Because eradication of lionfish is unfeasible, scientists and conservationists are urging the implementation of lionfish management plans in order to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of the invasion to a manageable scale. Recent studies indicate that persistent removal of lionfish by spearheading does help control lionfish populations and help native fishing rebound. Through mathematical modeling and field tests, researchers have found that reducing lionfish stocks by about 75 to 90 percent leads to the rapid recovery of native fish numbers (Green et al. 2014). Data on prey fish and lionfish densities as well as spearheading catch rates were collected from lionfish derbies held at the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, Belize, in 2014. These data were used to estimate reef-specific target lionfish densities leading to the recovery of native prey species in the marine reserve as predicted by the Green et al. (2014) model. The fishing costs involved in reaching the target densities were also estimated to evaluate the overall effectiveness of manual removal techniques as a management strategy for invasive lionfish stocks. Close