Abstract

Lionfishes, Pterois volitans and Pterois miles, were first recorded on the north coast of Jamaica in 2008. They are now found in all Jamaica's coastal waters including offshore banks such as Pedro and Morant Cays. These native species of the Indian and Pacific Oceans have now established populations along the southeast coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. Due to their potential negative impact on fisheries and the marine ecosystem, we sought to investigate their population densities at three sites along the Discovery Bay coastline over 26 months . The lionfish population density decreased at two of the three sites surveyed. At Skeggy Reef (the westward site) and Dairy Bull (the middle site) there was a decline in the population by approximately 37% and 48% ± 0.95 SE respectively. Pear Tree Bottom (eastward site) showed an increase in the lionfish population density of 52% ± 0.95 SE over the same time period. The ratio of female to male lionfish was 1: 1.2 with 60% (n = 179) of the female population noted to have spawning capable to actively spawning gonads. This reduction in the population could be attributed to an increase in public education and awareness on lionfish through a national campaign promoting the consumption of lionfish as a control mechanism. Other possible reasons for the decline could be due to migration to deeper waters and behavioural changes to humans. Continued promotion of lionfish consumption is recommended to control this alien invasive fish as well as further research.

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