Stephanie Green David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow

Oregon State University

Invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish in the Western Atlantic

2

Collaborators and funders Lad Akins, Reef Environmental Education Foundation Mark Hixon, Oregon State University Bernard Castillo and Kynoch Reale-Munroe, University of the Virgin Islands Ian Lundgren and Vanessa McDunough, National Park Service Isabelle Côté and Andrew Cooper, Simon Fraser University Nick Dulvy, IUCN Shark Specialist Group Nicola Smith, Bahamas Department of Marine Resources Annabelle Brooks, Cape Eleuthera Institute Skylar Miller, University of the West Indies James Morris, NOAA CCFHR

Distribution Red Lionfish – Pterois volitans Devil Firefish – Pterois miles

Source of the invasion

Aquarium imports and non-native fish sightings

Semmens et al. 2004

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Invasion progression

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2013

Lionfish life cycle

Green et al. 2012 PLoS ONE

Lionfish abundance has increased rapidly

Green et al. 2012 PLoS ONE

Lionfish abundance has increased rapidly

Relative predator abundance Eleuthera, Bahamas

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

lionfish nassau grouper

black grouper

graysby

Fish

per

10

0 m

2

Green et al. 2012 PloS ONE

Lionfish in the Loxahatchee River

Judd and Layman 2012

Morris 2009

Potential lionfish range

100°W 80°W 60°W 40°W 60°N

40°N

20°N

0°

20°S

40°S

Morris & Whitfield 2009

Why are lionfish so successful in the Atlantic?

Lionfish venomology

Lionfish are venomous

Maljković et al 2008 Coral Reefs

Predators do not control lionfish

Anecdotal observations

Experimental feeding trials

Morris et al 2011 J Exp Marine Biol Valdivia et al. 2014 PeerJ

Predators do not control lionfish

Gape-limited predators

What is the effect of lionfish predation on invaded fish communities?

The Bahamas

The Bahamas

New Providence Island

Eleuthera Island

Lionfish reduce prey biomass

By 65% over two years

Green et al. in review

Green et al. 2012 PLoS ONE

Eleuthera, Bahamas Lionfish removal experiment

Testing targets for lionfish control

32

Prey fish recovery P

rop

ort

ion

ch

ange

0

-0.5

1.5

2.0

Green et al. in press Ecol. App.

Conservation and lionfish control Management plans

Conservation and lionfish control Awareness and education

Conservation and lionfish control Regional action

Complete eradication is unlikely

Population suppression

Eradication

The goal:

Make the most effective use of limited resources for control

Conservation application Minimize ecological impacts in priority areas

Juvenile fish habitat Marine Protected Areas

Conservation application Minimize ecological impacts in priority areas

Recolonization happens rapidly Li

on

fish

10

0 m

-2

Date Green et al. in review Cons. Letters

What level of control is required to mitigate the effects of lionfish?

44

Pre

y fi

sh b

iom

ass

Lionfish density

Sufficient removal

Insufficient removal

How many lionfish can a reef tolerate?

What is the cost and effort needed

for control?

How often to remove?

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Biscayne National Park

c

c

Buck Island National Monument

Long term removal studies Florida Keys St Croix, USVI

John Pennekamp State Park

How many lionfish to remove?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

I1 I2 LF4 LF5 P1 P3 P5 P7

Lio

nfi

sh

ab

un

da

nc

e

Site

How many lionfish to remove?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

I1 I2 LF4 LF5 P1 P3 P5 P7

Lio

nfi

sh

ab

un

da

nc

e

Site

Starting density

Removal target

Densities 45-85% higher than target

Bi-monthly dives to survey and remove lionfish

0

2

4

6

8

10

1 2 3 4 5

Removal event

Site I1 0

2

4

6

8

1 2 3 4 5

Removal event

Site P5

0

1

2

3

4

5

1 2 3 4 5

Removal event

Site LF5

P1

P3

P7 P5

I1 I2

LF4

LF5

How many lionfish to remove?

Target density

USGS Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database 2012

Where do we get the manpower to achieve control?

Tools for lionfish control Primarily caught by spear and hand-net

Tools for lionfish control Food fishery

55

Eat ‘em to beat ‘em!

Lionfish derbies

What is a lionfish derby?

Lionfish derbies are an effective tool for increasing awareness….

But how effective are they at suppressing lionfish populations?

Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas Derby effectiveness

study

Key Largo, Florida

Pre- and post- derby surveys

Lionfish tagging

Derby fishing maps

Before After Before After

g li

on

fish

ha-1

Derby No derby

45% decline

Key Largo, Florida

Summary

•Invasive lionfish are having significant effects on fish populations across the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico •Controlling lionfish below predicted ‘thresholds’ densities can prevent ecological impacts •How can you help?

•Support lionfish control research •Support lionfish control efforts (e.g. derbies, food fishery)

Thank you Contact:

greenst@science.oregonstate.edu

@steph_j_green

www.stephaniejgreen.com

Find out more:

www.reef.org/lionfish

http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/pollution/invasive/lionfish