Predicted impact of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans on the food web of a Caribbean coral reef

Arias‐González, Jesús Ernesto; González‐Gándara, Carlos; Cabrera, José Luis Marrero; Christensen, Villy

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2011.07.008

Cited by 110 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…In contrast to models predicting that lionfish numbers in the region will be controlled only by extremely intensive and sustained fishing mortality (Arias- González et al, 2011;Barbour et al, 2011;Morris et al, 2011a), these initial results strongly suggest that targeted removals represent useful management tools. Focused and repeated removals may be needed to constrain numbers and sizes of lionfish to levels that significantly decrease predation, especially on key species of reef fish, but also on other ecologically important organisms, such as shrimp, that serve as important prey for other predatory species.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 42%

Coping with the Lionfish Invasion: Can Targeted Removals Yield Beneficial Effects?

Frazer

Jacoby

Edwards

et al. 2012

Reviews in Fisheries Science

130

119

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 42%

Coping with the Lionfish Invasion: Can Targeted Removals Yield Beneficial Effects?

Frazer

Jacoby

Edwards

et al. 2012

Reviews in Fisheries Science

130

119

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“…At present, removal of lionfish by divers is probably the most common method of control, but this method is generally applicable to waters shallower thañ 35 m. Lionfish are rarely caught in hook-and-line fisheries but have been reported as incidental catches in some deepwater fisheries (Akins 2012) and are frequent bycatch in commercial trap fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Trip Interview Program, personal communication). Recently developed models predict that containment of lionfish populations will prove very difficult if portions of the adult populations remain unexploitable (Arias-Gonzalez et al 2011). Accordingly, the development of directed trap fisheries for lionfish may offer alternatives to removal by divers in these deeper habitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Lionfish Invasion in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Perspectives from a Broadscale Trawl Survey

et al. 2015

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The recent introduction of invasive Indo‐Pacific lionfish species (Red Lionfish Pterois volitans and Devil Firefish P. miles, hereafter collectively referred to as lionfish) into the western Atlantic Ocean has been extensively documented in both the scientific literature and the media. Nevertheless, much of the information synthesized has been obtained via diver‐based surveys and there is likely a depth‐related bias to the understanding of the temporal and spatial dynamics of the lionfish invasion. Accordingly, we examined data from a broadscale fisheries‐independent trawl survey of bare substrates and low‐relief habitats that was initiated in 2008 in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Lionfish were first observed in the survey in 2010, when two individuals were collected off southwestern Florida. The distribution of lionfish continued to expand northward through the Florida panhandle in 2011 and 2012, when 40 and 29 lionfish were collected, respectively. A dramatic increase in the abundance (391 individuals) and distribution of lionfish occurred in 2013. Evidence from this survey suggests that lionfish first colonized deeper (>30 m) low‐relief habitats before populations expanded into shallower waters. The prevalence of lionfish on primarily nonreef habitats at depths beyond those frequented by recreational divers will likely have important implications for efforts to control or eradicate lionfish populations in the region. Moving forward, information from long‐term, multispecies surveys such as this will continue to provide valuable insight into the spatial and temporal dynamics of the lionfish invasion and allow us to assess long‐term ecological consequences of increasing lionfish abundances. Received August 3, 2014; accepted November 7, 2014

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“…Scientists have focused on seeking optimum removal rates through modeling and field studies, acknowledging that high levels of uncertainty due to data gaps make generalized predictions difficult. Whereas total eradication has been deemed unfeasible (Arias-González et al 2011, Barbour et al 2011) because of lionfish high reproduction, efficient larval dispersal, and depth constraints, a few studies provide data that substantiate claims that local control efforts yield positive results in terms of decreased lionfish biomass (Frazer et al 2012, de León et al 2013.…”

Section: Storyline: Kill Lionfish To Protect Caribbean Reefsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controversies and consensus on the lionfish invasion in the Western Atlantic Ocean

Carballo-Cárdenas¹

2015

E&S

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ABSTRACT. This study investigates how the lionfish (Pterois sp.) invasion of the Western Atlantic Ocean has been socially constructed by natural scientists, the media, and stakeholders associated with various marine protected areas in the Caribbean. By examining the use of data and metaphors by these actors, I identify where invasion discourses converge and diverge. Although consensus exists regarding the non-nativeness, introduction vector, and successful establishment of lionfish throughout the region, I also identify uncertainty surrounding lionfish impact and controversies regarding lionfish management and control. The dominant discourse frames lionfish as a threat and control efforts as a war to keep the enemy at bay, and promotes lionfish hunting and consumption by humans: the "ultimate predators." However, this view is challenged by a coalition that questions the safety, effectiveness, and morality of the practices promoted by the kill-and-eat lionfish coalition. A nascent discourse that frames lionfish as fulfilling the role of overexploited native species, primarily expressed in socioeconomic terms, is shifting lionfish impact perception from negative to positive among some stakeholder groups. Whereas the dominant discourse views humans as helping nature to regain balance through lionfish hunting, a minority coalition views lionfish as part of the ecosystem, where a new equilibrium will be reached. This study shows that scientific data and metaphors, amplified by the media, facilitated initial understanding of the lionfish phenomenon and are used to legitimize claims. In time, however, local knowledge and societal values have intermingled with scientific data, sometimes challenging scientific discourses, and contributing to a richer understanding of the invasion as a social-ecological phenomenon.

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Predicted impact of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans on the food web of a Caribbean coral reef

Cited by 110 publications

References 42 publications

Coping with the Lionfish Invasion: Can Targeted Removals Yield Beneficial Effects?

Coping with the Lionfish Invasion: Can Targeted Removals Yield Beneficial Effects?

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Lionfish Invasion in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Perspectives from a Broadscale Trawl Survey

Controversies and consensus on the lionfish invasion in the Western Atlantic Ocean

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