Abstract

Indo-Pacific lionfish have established themselves in the western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea, and have the potential to severely damage regional marine ecosystems. Since 2012, local scientists, dive operators, and volunteers have conducted weekly lionfish culls on the reefs around Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. Data recorded from these culls include dive site(s) culled, number of lionfish caught, number of lionfish missed, number of divers culling, and the maximum depth and dive time of all divers. Total length, weight, and sex of each lionfish captured is also recorded. Overall, the efforts on Little Cayman have been productive, with over 200 community culls scheduled over the past 6 years and over 18,000 lionfish removed from the reefs. Analysis of the data taken from this community culling effort shows that these targeted removals can decrease lionfish density as well as their size distribution. Targeted removals have been shown to be effective on a local scale, and therefore focus should be shifted to determining how to coordinate the limited resources available to provide the greatest positive impact. To this end, we are creating a publicly accessible, interactive web map of the community culling efforts using ArcGIS software. A total of 64 dive sites are included in the map, and each site is assigned to one of 31 culling zones based on proximity and reef topography. Pop-up labels for individual dive sites as well as site groups are populated with information including date of last cull, the number of fish caught on the most recent cull, mean CPUE, recommended culling frequency, and any other pertinent site details. Updated regularly, this map will provide a guide for stakeholders seeking to increase the sustainability and efficiency of Little Cayman’s community lionfish culling program.

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