Abstract

Since 2004, Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have rapidly swept through the Caribbean region. The ecological impacts of the lionfish invasion have been the focus of most research to date, as these predatory fish prey on a wide array of native fish and crustacean species. The main goal of this study was to examine the potential economic repercussions of this invasion by measuring its effect on the economically important spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery of the Bahamas. Field surveys of lobster and lionfish habitats on natural reefs suggest overlap in the characteristics of habitat used by both species, but since space on reefs is abundant, lobsters and lionfish rarely co-occurred. However, an inverse relationship existed between lobster and lionfish numbers in lobster shelter traps (condos) used by local fishers, implying potential conflict for habitat use in seagrass beds and hard-bottom areas where shelter is limited. Formal interviews with fishers allowed for an estimate of changes in effort and monetary cost to the fishery with each lionfish found in and around traps. This is the first study to test the direct effects of the lionfish invasion on any fishery. As an island nation, the Bahamas relies both economically and culturally on its marine resources. Quantifying how ecological shifts manifest themselves in the local economy will be invaluable to planners and policy makers attempting to adapt to, and mitigate, the effects of this marine invasion.