Abstract

Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) have now spread throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the greater Caribbean region. Invasive lionfish are voracious and generalized predators of dozens of small fish species (including the juveniles of important fishery species) and are seafloor habitat generalists (occupying any available hard structure). Consequently, lionfish are known to have strong negative effects on the abundance of native reef fishes, including documented extirpations (local extinctions). The invaded ecosystem has offered little biotic resistance to the invader. Lionfish have low parasite loads, they appear to outcompete similar-sized native piscivores, and they are largely immune to substantial predation due to their venomous spines. The sole source of biotic resistance identified thus far has been that high densities of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) apparently interfere with the slowly stalking feeding behavior lionfish. This phenomenon may explain reported negative correlations between lionfish and grouper densities, yet lionfish displaced from reefs may target prey fish in surrounding seagrass beds. Unfortunately, groupers are severely overfished throughout most of the invaded range. The primary management approaches to address the invasion have been lionfish derbies and targeted fisheries. Derbies have been successful in reducing the local abundance of lionfish. The fisheries approach will be most successful if invasive lionfish become a popular? conservation dish? at expensive restaurants? (Save the reef, eat lionfish?). Reports that lionfish are ciguatoxic should be reexamined to ensure that only cooked flesh is tested because spine venom precursors in uncooked flesh can provide false positive tests for ciguatera.

PDF Preview