Abstract

Control of the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) is of high priority throughout the Caribbean to aid in the protection of coral reefs against the effects of increased predation. Due to few predators, competitors, parasites or disease, culling pro-grams have been the primary means of removal and management. Concerns have been raised that increased culling pressure selects for more cryptic, wary individuals, making spearing increasingly difficult. To assess any potential correlation be-tween behavior and culling intensity, the cryptic and evasive behaviors of lionfish were surveyed (n = 400) during midday and dusk dives at 28 sites around Little Cayman. Sites included three unculled sites, 13 sites of low culling intensity, and 10 sites of high culling intensity. Findings revealed a decrease in size and abundance and an increase in wary behavior of lion-fish at culled sites during the day. Behavior variability was highest at culled sites during the day and corresponded with a greater mean cryptic score, a greater proportion of highly hidden individuals, and a greater proportion of individuals that would flee from divers. This suggests that some individuals may have become wary of divers due to high culling intensity. However, regular culls on Little Cayman, which have removed over 18,000 fish in total, have not increased cryptic or eva-sive behavior of lionfish at dusk. Overall this study found that evening culls provide greater accessibility to the lionfish population and should be employed whenever possible for enhanced spearing efficiency.

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