Abstract

The Bermuda Invasive Lionfish Control Initiative revealed densely concentrated populations of lionfish on Bermuda’s mes-ophotic reefs. Limited access to these deeper populations has restricted the culling capacity of local recreational divers. It was hypothesized that targeted removal of lionfish from these reefs would provide protection for native fish populations through a reduction in feeding pressure and ultimately conserve biodiversity. Monthly culling of lionfish occurred from known mesophotic “hot spots” (55 - 60 m) between July and December 2017. Prior to each culling event, fish community composition was determined using Baited Remote Underwater Video systems (BRUVs) followed by in situ lionfish abun-dance surveys using NOAA’s ‘S’ survey protocol. In situ survey data recorded a reduction in lionfish densities during the course of the study period. BRUVs data detected a decrease in fish biodiversity (Inverse Simpson Index; 2D) between months two and five with a return to values recorded during the initial survey prior to culling activities. These data suggest that a longer period of culling maybe necessary to determine the effectiveness of targeted in situ culling on fish biodiversity enhancement on Bermuda’s mesophotic reefs.

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