Volume 63

Implantación del Plan de Co-Manejo para el Control del “Lionfish” Pez León en Puerto Rico.


Authors
Melendez, J., C.R. Valentin, L.R. Saez, and G. Negron
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Other Information


Date: November, 2010


Pages: 334-341


Event: Proceedings of the Sixty-Third Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute


City: San Juan


Country: Puerto Rico

Abstract

In these few lines, we aim to provide the basic elements which underpin the Plan Implementation Co-Management of lionfish to Puerto Rico. Starting from the following question: How can we apply the activities or mechanisms used by humans, which has decimated commercial fish communities, and apply them to control invasive species in the Caribbean? The vision of the different researchers is that we can do nothing against the invasion of lionfish in the Caribbean. However, for years we have observed how commercial fishing practices have lead several species of vertebrates and invertebrates to the list of endangered species and have tried to control its exploitation. Given the fact that these techniques have been successful in diminishing commercial species worldwide, why not to put them into practice with the lionfish in Puerto Rico? If we apply these same mechanisms, we could control this invasive species expansion in the Caribbean. From this perspective, we have set the program implementation, involving different groups in the process, and addressing to the effects of this organism in the economic and cultural development in the island. Due to its detrimental effect on other organisms (fish trade, ornamental and invertebrates), marine environments (coral reef, grassland sea grass, mangrove) and economic sectors (industry, tourism, water sports industry, etc.), an unifying effect is created among the different particular interest group (Water Sports, Diving, Adventure Travel, Commercial Fishermen, Fishermen Ornamental, Restaurants, Hotels), which can be integrated into the process of co-management plan fishing at different levels.

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