Abstract

The invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) is currently established in the Western Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. As managers formulate plans to mitigate the harmful impacts of this invasive species throughout its range, the collection of regional life history information, which is sparse to date, is pertinent for accurately estimating population size, growth, and predicting the response of lionfish populations to management initiatives. In order to elucidate potential life history differences that exist throughout their invaded range, lionfish were collected from a previously unstudied region, the southern South Atlantic Bight (n = 3969), and the Florida Keys (n = 792) throughout 2013 and 2014 in coordination with lionfish derby events. Population structure was analyzed by fitting a statistical length-based model to the observed total length frequencies in each region. The predicted length-frequency distribution is generated from the three von Bertalanffy growth function parameters, maximum length (L¥), Brody growth coefficient (k), age at size 0 (t0), variance in length-at-age (s), and time of spawning (s). Increased variation in the fish length-at-ages from south Florida indicate lionfish juveniles are recruiting over a broad time scale, and the reproductive season may be prolonged in that region, relative to their northern conspecifics. Our present findings and future data will provide urgently needed information on life history parameters for this species, aiding resource managers seeking to more effectively control the species by accurately predicting the effect of removal initiatives on the population.

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