Abstract

Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterois volitans and P. miles) are the first invasive marine fishes to become established in the Western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Lionfishes, with their venomous spines, insatiable appetites, wide habitat distribution, and prolific reproduction, are a serious threat to native fishes and coral reef communities. Since the introduction of these species into the Western Atlantic in the late 1980s, lionfishes have spread and become established throughout the Western Atlantic and Caribbean, and were first recorded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009. In late 2010, lion-fishes were observed at Sonnier Bank and nearby oil and gas platforms. By mid 2011, lionfishes were observed on all three banks comprising the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS), which harbors the northern-most coral reefs in the continental United States. We document the appearance and subsequent spread of lionfishes with-in the FGBNMS, as well as the surrounding banks and artificial structures in the Northwest Gulf of Mexico. We assessed lionfish diet with stomach content analysis, and analyzed changes in native fish communities at the FGBNMS with long-term monitoring visual fish survey data. Between 2011 and 2012, lionfish sightings increased tenfold within the FGBNMS. While fish biomass at the FGBNMS remains high, the full invasion is likely still developing and negative impacts on the reef community may not be recognized for several years. Lionfish impacts, combined with pre-existing stressors such as overfishing and global climate change, may cause cascading changes in the food chain and coral reef communities in the region.

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