Volume 70
A Note on Lionfish Removals in St. Thomas/St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Authors
Olsen,D;B.Arnold;R.Hill;D.Bryan Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: November, 2017
Pages: 186-188
Event: Proceedings of the Seventy Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: Merida, Yucatan
Country: México
Abstract
Small individuals of the invasive lionfish first made an appearance in St. Thomas’ plastic lobster traps with 2.5 mm gaps between slats in late 2009. Larger individuals which could be retained in fish traps (with 5.9 mm mesh size) were not present until mid-2010. By 2012 they were the 19th most common species caught in a trapping study. Catch per Unit effort values from that study and from one of the project fishermen indicate that fish and lobster trap fishermen are removing between 10 and 12,000 lionfish annually. Removal by sport divers has been reported since 2010. Sport Divers are currently removing between 1,200 and 3,000 lionfish annually.