DOCSLIB.ORG

The Invasion of the Lionfish

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Invasion of the Lionfish The Invasion of the Lionfish (Photo: Florida Sea Grant) It is a song that has been played in our state time and time again. An exotic pet or plant is brought across our borders and either intentionally or accidentally it is released into the environment and a problem ensues. Ornamental plants for our yards that spread seeds, exotic reptiles that become to large to care for, tropical mammals that are used in movie productions that manage to escape their “full-proof” enclosures and the next thing you know you see them wandering the streets of your community. In many cases these non-natives are just another part of the landscape but in some they begin to cause economic or environmental problems and they become invasive species. There are many examples of invasive creatures in Florida; iguanas, red fire ants, Chinese tallow, Japanese climbing fern, and most recently – Burmese pythons. The states of Florida and Hawaii have the largest problems with these creatures because of their tropical/sub-tropical climates; thus they have some of the toughest laws dealing with them. There is a $1000 fine for releasing a nonnative in Florida. These plants and animals find plenty of food, few predators, and warm temperatures year round. It is no different in the Gulf of Mexico. Many tropical fish released into our waters do not survive the cold winters or the high salinities, but things could not be better for the red lionfish. Also known as the Turkeyfish and Zebrafish, the Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) is one of 500 species in the family Scorpaenidae; 6 of these are native to the Gulf of Mexico. Many members of this family are venomous and the red lionfish is no exception. They are small fish ranging in from 6 to 12 inches in length; however in 2004 a 17 inch lionfish was caught of the coast of North Carolina. The lionfish is from the western Pacific Ocean and range from the Micronesia area to Australia and north to the southern shores of Japan. They have a close cousin, the Devil Firefish (Pterois miles) that is found in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Both of these fish are very cryptic and are more nocturnal in habit so detection is not always easy when looking for them. They are found primarily on offshore reefs ranging depths between 35 and 600 feet, and in their native region they have been found in the turbid areas of estuaries. They feed on a variety of small reef fishes, shrimps, crabs, and they have few natural predators. Lionfish are ambush hunters preferring to blend into the environment and wait for the prey to cross the “magic line” where they by corral them using their large pectoral fins and engulf them. It is believed they hunt mostly at night and hide within the reef during the daylight. There are records of cannibalism in this species. They spend most of their adult lives as solitary individuals but during breeding season (which can occur year round) they congregate in groups from 8 to 12 and begin a complex courtship behavior that involves flaring fins, and a “waltz-like” dance. To fertilize the eggs, females will release a buoyant mucous ball and the male will release between 10,000 and 30,000 sperm on this egg mass. Microbiological activity will dissolve the mucus ball and the fertilized eggs are released. These eggs drift far and wide and in 2 days hatch to become benthic juveniles. They reach sexual maturity in about 2 years. So the questions are… how did they get here? And are they truly invasive? It is believed that the lionfish issue began with the aquarium trade. Currently there are a reported 8,000 fish delivered to the Tampa Bay area alone each year. Some want these fish because of their beauty (they are neat looking fish), others are attracted by the fact they are venomous. They are relatively easy to maintain and can command a large price; lionfish are good business. The most popular explanation as to how they were released in our local waters is the destruction of homes and pet stores during the heavy hurricane seasons of past years. The earliest record of a lionfish in Florida was in 1985 in the town of Dania. The question now was would they reproduce and can they survive the colder winters here. They breed year round and mature quickly. More fish were found in southeast Florida by 1992 and records were occurring in North Carolina and as far north as Long Island, New York. Coldwater temperatures should be a barrier to their distribution. Studies show that they stop eating when water temperatures reach 60˚F and death occurs at 50˚F. By 2000 there were records of this fish in the Bahamas and through out the Caribbean region. The first records in the northern Gulf of Mexico were 2010 when lionfish were seen in Apalachicola and Pensacola. Between 2004 and 2008 there was a tenfold increase in their population in Bahamian waters. Recent records of this animal can be seen on the figure below. ( Courtsey: USGS Nonnative Aquatic Species ) So now they are here… are they invasive? The answer is yes. These fish are voracious feeders. When they are smaller they feed on a variety of tropical reef fish, shrimps, crabs, and some accounts show them feeding on small spiny lobsters. As they increase in size they move to a more fish diet. Studies show that they feed on over 50 species of reef fishes and some of them are economically important to us. They do consume small species of herbivorous fish that control the algal growth on the coral reefs. Reefs covered with algae will not last long and we all know how important reefs are to the economy of south Florida. A study conducted in the Bahamas looked at whether these reef fish could reproduce fast enough to balance out the attacks being made by the lionfish. The results showed that the recruitment of the reef fish declined by 80% when lionfish were in the area. Another study shows that their population density in the Bahamas is eight times greater than that of the native waters; indicating whatever population control mechanisms there are in the Indo-Pacific are not at play here. A third study compared reef populations in two reef systems where the lionfish was the predator in one and a natural predator (the Coney Grouper, Cephalopholis fulva) was the predator in the other. The decline of the reef fish populations in the area with the lionfish was 2.5 times faster than that of the grouper. They reproduce often, have few predators, and consume a great variety of local species including commercially valuable ones. These results suggest yes, lionfish are invasive. So what do we do about it? The method of choice at the moment is removal by humans. Lionfish do not typically bite a hook and line so the most effective method to date is spearfishing. Many areas are hosting “Lionfish Rodeos” which reward divers for returning as many lionfish as possible. A rodeo was held in Destin, Florida in July 2012. During this one day event 81 lionfish were landed. It is difficult to find these fish diving because of their cryptic and nocturnal behavior so there is a challenge to this. Until recently all divers who speared lionfish had to have a saltwater license and could not bag more than 100 lbs. of fish. The question was “why would there be restrictions on harvesting this invasive species?” The response from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was that the lionfish is an unregulated species in Florida waters. Under their regulations the harvest of 100 lbs. of an unregulated fish labels you a commercial fisherman and thus you would need a commercial fishing license. To avoid this problem they set a bag limit of 100 lbs. On August 3, 2012 the state of Florida issued an executive order that will allow spear fishermen to capture lionfish without a saltwater license and there will be no bag limit; anglers will still need the license. This executive order will be for one year. Some communities consume lionfish and their rating is very good. However the FDA reported in 2012 some cases of ciguatera in the tissue of the lionfish. Ciguatera toxin is something that has been with Floridians for awhile. Small fish feed on small organisms on the reef. Many of these contain defensive toxins that accumulate in the fatty tissues of the animal. As you move up the food chain, and consume more prey, the levels of ciguatera toxin increase. In some cases they increase to hazardous levels for human consumption. This appears to have happen in some lionfish and so consuming these animals does pose a risk. The state of the lionfish at the moment may be beyond eradicating the species from our waters and they will become part of landscape just as the Chinese Tallow and Golden Orb Spider have. We continue to try and remove these invasive plants and animals from our ecosystems and we will continue to remove the lionfish. The concern here is the continued importing of nonnative species. We encourage Floridians to landscape with native plants and not purchase exotic pets. The University of Florida Extension recommends that if you no longer want your exotic pet there are few things you can try. 1) Find it a new home – another family, rescue centers, maybe schools or nature centers will take it. 2) Return it to the pet store – many will take it back but will probably not refund your money.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Red Lionfish
    N. Carolina Aquarium at Ft. Fisher N. Carolina Aquarium at Ft. Fisher COMMON NAME: Red lionfish SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pterois volitans (Linnaeus 1758) NATIVE DISTRIBUTION: Western Pacific from southern Japan to Micronesia, Australia and the Philippines; also throughout most of Oceania (including the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji) east to French Polynesia. U.S. distribution: Established along the Atlantic coast from southern Florida to New York, including Bermuda. Habitat: The lionfish inhabits reefs from about 10 to 175 m deep. As juveniles, lionfish live in small groups, but as adults they typically occur alone. Individuals are relatively inactive during the day, typically sheltering U.S. Geological Survey Geological U.S. in reef crevices. Life cycle: Red lionfish are external fertilizers that produce a pelagic egg mass following a courtship and mating process that is not well documented. Like many reef fishes, red lionfish larvae are planktonic. After a few weeks in the plankton stage, larvae settle onto reefs as juveniles. Cool facts: • The red lionfish is a solitary predator of small fishes, shrimps and crabs. • Prey are stalked and cornered or made to feel so by the outstretched and expanded pectoral fins of the red lionfish in full ambush mode. • Prey are ultimately obtained with a lightning-quick snap of the jaws and swallowed whole. • Cannibalism has been observed for this species. • Unlike most scorpionfish with their camouflage markings, the lionfish has greatly extended fin spines and striking colors. Pathways of invasion: Aquarium releases and pet fish liberated during storm events such as hurricanes. AQUATIC INVADERS A Sea Grant/AZA Partnership 1 RED LIONFISH Pterois volitans Impacts: The introduction of the red lionfish to marine waters of the Atlantic off the eastern coast of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Modeling Suitable Habitat of Invasive Red Lionfish Pterois Volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) in North and South America’S Coastal Waters
    Aquatic Invasions (2016) Volume 11, Issue 3: 313–326 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/ai.2016.11.3.09 Open Access © 2016 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2016 REABIC Research Article Modeling suitable habitat of invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) in North and South America’s coastal waters 1 1, 2 3 Paul H. Evangelista , Nicholas E. Young *, Pamela J. Schofield and Catherine S. Jarnevich 1 Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA 2 US Geological Survey, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA 3 US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA *Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected] Received: 9 October 2015 / Accepted: 11 April 2016 / Published online: 5 May 2016 Handling editor: Charles Martin Abstract We used two common correlative species-distribution models to predict suitable habitat of invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans. The Generalized Linear Model (GLM) and the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) model were applied using the Software for Assisted Habitat Modeling. We compared models developed using native occurrences, using non-native occurrences, and using both native and non-native occurrences. Models were trained using occurrence data collected before 2010 and evaluated with occurrence data collected from the invaded range during or after 2010. We considered a total of 22 marine environmental variables. Models built with non-native only or both native and non-native occurrence data outperformed those that used only native occurrences. Evaluation metrics based on the independent test data were highest for models that used both native and non-native occurrences.
    [Show full text]
  • When Invasive Species Become the Meal Is Dining on Nature’S Predators an Act of Environmentalism — Or Just a New Way for Humans to Bend the World to Our Will?
    At restaurants, Asian shore crabs — an invasive species known to curb the populations of lobster and other shellfish — are sometimes served deep-fried. Kyoko Hamada FOOD MATTERS When Invasive Species Become the Meal Is dining on nature’s predators an act of environmentalism — or just a new way for humans to bend the world to our will? By Ligaya Mishan Photographs by Kyoko Hamada Oct. 2, 2020 ON THE PLATE, the red lionfish looks benign, denuded of its grand mohawk of venomous spines, cut down into neat fillets, floured and flopped in a hot pan with white wine and capers, then brought to the table leaking butter. Its flesh is as white as a snapper’s, delicate and faintly sweet. To eat it seems more like decadence than righteousness. But the same fish is considered a menace in the Atlantic. Up to 20 inches long when fully grown and striated in cream and rust, it wobbles underwater with that dorsal mohawk and gauzy pectoral fins fanned out on either side, suggesting a feathered headdress set adrift, dreaming its way through life, until it backs its prey up against the reef and snaps. Its hunger is legend: The predator has been known to graze on more than 50 species, and its stomach can inflate to 30 times its natural size to accommodate its feasts, which sometimes equal 90 percent of its body weight. THE T LIST: A weekly roundup of what the editors of T Magazine are Sign Up noticing and coveting right now. Appetite alone is not a crime, of course.
    [Show full text]
  • Invasive Red Lionfish Pterois Volitans Blow Directed Jets of Water at Prey Fish
    Vol. 448: 1–5, 2012 MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published February 23 doi: 10.3354/meps09580 Mar Ecol Prog Ser OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS FEATURE ARTICLE: NOTE Invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans blow directed jets of water at prey fish Mark A. Albins1,*, Patrick J. Lyons2 1Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA 2Department of Ecology and Evolution, SUNY at Stony Brook, 650 Life Sciences Building, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA ABSTRACT: Field and laboratory observations of feeding by invasive Pacific red lionfish Pterois voli- tans were conducted during June through August of 2008, 2009 and 2010 near Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas. Observations of this invasive marine predator revealed a previously undocumented pis- civorous behavior. While slowly approaching prey fish, lionfish produce jets of water directed toward their prey. These jets may confuse or distract prey, and often result in prey fish facing the attacking lion- fish, increasing the probability of head-first capture and swallowing. While a variety of fishes are re - ported to create directed water jets, to our knowl- edge, this is the first report of a fish that does so during the capture of fish prey. This behavior may confer a high degree of predatory efficiency, and thus con- tribute to the dramatic success of this Pacific invader of tropical Western Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs. KEY WORDS: Lionfish · Invasive species · Predation · Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans in a seagrass bed in the Piscivory · Prey naïveté · Marine fishes Bahamas. Resale or republication not permitted without Photo: Timothy J. Pusack, Oregon State University written consent of the publisher INTRODUCTION may confer a high degree of predatory efficiency and contribute to the dramatic success of this invasion.
    [Show full text]
  • Managing Invasive Lionfish in Belize's Marine Protected Areas
    blu@ ventut�� beyond conservation Managing invasive lionfish in Belize's Marine Protected Areas Fabian C. Kyne, Jennifer K. Chapman, Stephanie J. Green, Anna L. Simmons, Charlotte L.A. Gough July 2020 Recommended citation Kyne FK, Chapman JK, Green SJ, Simmons AL & Gough CLA (2020) Managing Invasive Lionfish In Belize’s Marine Protected Areas. Blue Ventures Conservation Report, 50 pages. All photos © Blue Ventures unless indicated otherwise. Acknowledgements Funders: MAR Fund, Summit Foundation Field support: Chuck and Robby’s, Blue Sea, Tranquility Bay Resort, Brujula, Belize Fisheries Department, Blue Ventures Expeditions, FAMRACC, TIDE Field surveys led by: Anna Simmons Data collected by: Tanya Barona, Genevieve Ramirez and Fernando Robateau (TIDE), Eli Romero (Belize Audubon Society), Anna Simmons, Julia Rubin, Anouk Neuhaus, Marc Fruitema, Daniela Escontrela, Jennifer Chapman (Blue Ventures), Elias Cantun, Henry Brown and Ali Cansino (Belize Fisheries Department), Ellen McRae (FAMRACC) Data analysis and report preparation: Fabian Kyne, Jennifer Chapman, Lucy Anderson, Rosie Williams (Blue Ventures), Fanny Tricone (independent) Abbreviations BCMR – Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve CCMR – Caye Caulker Marine Reserve GUZ – General Use Zone HCMR – Hol Chan Marine Reserve IAS – Invasive Alien Species LFS – Lionfish Focused Search MPA – Marine Protected Area NTZ – No Take Zone PHMR – Port Honduras Marine Reserve SWCMR – South Water Caye Marine Reserve 2 Table of contents Recommended citation 2 Acknowledgements 2 Abbreviations 2 Table of contents
    [Show full text]
  • Parasites from the Red Lionfish, Pterois Volitans from the Gulf of Mexico
    Gulf and Caribbean Research Volume 27 Issue 1 2016 Parasites from the Red Lionfish, Pterois volitans from the Gulf of Mexico Alexander Q. Fogg Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, [email protected] Carlos F. Ruiz Auburn University, [email protected] Stephen S. Curran The University of Southern Mississippi, [email protected] Stephen A. Bullard Auburn University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/gcr Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Marine Biology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Fogg, A. Q., C. F. Ruiz, S. S. Curran and S. A. Bullard. 2016. Parasites from the Red Lionfish, Pterois volitans from the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf and Caribbean Research 27 (1): SC1-SC5. Retrieved from https://aquila.usm.edu/gcr/vol27/iss1/7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18785/gcr.2701.07 This Short Communication is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Gulf and Caribbean Research by an authorized editor of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. VOLUME 25 VOLUME GULF AND CARIBBEAN Volume 25 RESEARCH March 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS GULF AND CARIBBEAN SAND BOTTOM MICROALGAL PRODUCTION AND BENTHIC NUTRIENT FLUXES ON THE NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO NEARSHORE SHELF RESEARCH Jeffrey G. Allison, M. E. Wagner, M. McAllister, A. K. J. Ren, and R. A. Snyder....................................................................................1—8 WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT SPECIES RICHNESS AND DISTRIBUTION ON THE OUTER—SHELF SOUTH TEXAS BANKS? Harriet L. Nash, Sharon J. Furiness, and John W.
    [Show full text]
  • Pterois Volitans, on the Coast of Tabasco, Mexico
    Hidrobiológica 2015, 25 (2): 307-309 NOTAS Agosto 2015 First record of the red lionfish,Pterois volitans, on the coast of Tabasco, Mexico Primer reporte del pez león, Pterois volitans, en la costa de Tabasco, México Armando T. Wakida-Kusunoki1 and Luis Enrique Amador del Ángel2 1Instituto Nacional de Pesca, Centro Regional de Investigación Acuícola y Pesquera de Yucalpetén. Boulevard del Pescador s/n Esq. Antigua Carr. a Chelem Yucalpetén, 97320. Yucatán 2Universidad Autónoma del Carmen. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Ambientales (CICA). Av. Laguna de Términos s/n Col. Renovación 2da Sección, Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, 24155. México e-mail: [email protected] Wakida-Kusunoki A. T. and L. E. Amador-del-Ángel. 2015. First record of the red lionfish, Pterois volitans, on the coast of Tabasco, Mexico. Hidrobiológica 25: (2) 307-309. ABSTRACT National Park and Tuxpan Coral Reef) off the state of Veracruz (Santan- Two specimens of lionfish Pterois volitans were found for the first time der-Monsalvo et al., 2012). In this paper we document the presence of on the south coast of Tabasco in southeastern Mexico. This was the fifth P. volitans in coastal waters of southern Tabasco. time that this fish has been located on the Mexican coast of the Gulf Two specimens of lionfish were caught in San Pedro, Tabasco of Mexico. The presence of lionfish on the Tabasco coast of Mexico is (18°39' 29.83" N, 92° 28' 52.49" W) on July 30, 2013 and July 10, discussed. 2014, using a trawl net with a mesh size of 2.54 cm in waters 5.4 Key words: Invasive species, lionfish, Southeastern Mexico, Tabasco.
    [Show full text]
  • Record Body Size for the Red Lionfish, Pterois Volitans
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Aquila Digital Community Gulf and Caribbean Research Volume 25 | Issue 1 2013 Record Body Size for the Red Lionfish, Pterois volitans (Scorpaeniformes), in the Southern Gulf of Mexico Alfonso Aguilar-Perera Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mexico Leidy Perera-Chan Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mexico Luis Quijano-Puerto Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Mexico DOI: 10.18785/gcr.2501.10 Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/gcr Recommended Citation Aguilar-Perera, A., L. Perera-Chan and L. Quijano-Puerto. 2013. Record Body Size for the Red Lionfish, Pterois volitans (Scorpaeniformes), in the Southern Gulf of Mexico. Gulf and Caribbean Research 25 (1): 121-123. Retrieved from https://aquila.usm.edu/gcr/vol25/iss1/11 This Short Communication is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Gulf and Caribbean Research by an authorized editor of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Gulf and Caribbean Research Vol 25, 121-123, 2013 Manuscript received, December 19, 2012; accepted, January 15, 2013 SHORT COMMUNICATION RECORD BODY SIZE FOR THE RED LIONFISH, PTEROIS VOLITANS (SCORPAENIFORMES), IN THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO Alfonso Aguilar—Perera*, Leidy Perera—Chan, and Luis Quijano—Puerto Departamento de Biología Marina, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuaruas, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km. 15.5, carretera Mérida—Xmatkuil, A.P. 4—116 Itzimná, C.P. 97315, Mérida, Yucatán, MÉXICO *Corresponding author email: [email protected] KEY WORDS: Cayo Arenas, Campeche bank, Yucatan Peninsula, coral reef, Mexico INTRODUCTION Non—native species are those that have been transported, weighed (g total weight, TW).
    [Show full text]
  • Is the Lionfish Invasion Waning? Evidence from the Bahamas
    Is the lionfish invasion waning? Evidence from The Bahamas Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Mark A. Albins, Kevin L. Buch, Kurt E. Ingeman, Tye L. Kindinger, Timothy J. Pusack, Christopher D. Stallings, et al. Coral Reefs Journal of the International Society for Reef Studies ISSN 0722-4028 Volume 36 Number 4 Coral Reefs (2017) 36:1255-1261 DOI 10.1007/s00338-017-1620-7 1 23 Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer- Verlag GmbH Germany. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be self- archived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com”. 1 23 Author's personal copy Coral Reefs (2017) 36:1255–1261 DOI 10.1007/s00338-017-1620-7 NOTE Is the lionfish invasion waning? Evidence from The Bahamas 1,2 1,3 4 1,5 Cassandra E. Benkwitt • Mark A. Albins • Kevin L. Buch • Kurt E. Ingeman • 1,6 1,7,8 1,7 Tye L. Kindinger • Timothy J. Pusack • Christopher D. Stallings • Mark A. Hixon1,9 Received: 16 December 2016 / Accepted: 5 September 2017 / Published online: 13 September 2017 Ó Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany 2017 Abstract Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterois volitans/miles) meantime, we recommend that managers continue efforts have undergone rapid population growth and reached to control invasive lionfish abundances locally.
    [Show full text]
  • L'invasion Du Poisson-Lion: Guide De Contrôle Et De Gestion
    L'Invasion du poisson-lion: Guide de contrôle et de gestion Publié par James A. Morris, Jr. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Reef Environmental and Educational Foundation International Coral Reef Initiative Caribbean Environment Programme United Nations Environment Programme Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife - Regional Activity Center Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute National Fish and Wildlife Foundation L'Invasion du poisson-lion : Guide de contrôle et de gestion Editeur James A. Morris Jr. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Format & Graphiques LeRoy Creswell Florida Sea Grant Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Inc. Consultante de Publication Ann Boese Laughing Gull, Inc. Savannah, Géorgie, États-Unis Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Série de Publication Spéciale, Numéro 1 Marathon, Floride, États-Unis Cette publication est disponible auprès de : Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Inc. 2796 Overseas Highway, Suite 119 Marathon, Florida 33050 USA http://www.gcfi.org ou NOAA Central Library http://www2.coastalscience.noaa.gov/publications/ Formats de citation recommandés: Pour l'ouvrage entier Morris, J.A., Jr. (Ed.). 2013. L'Invasion du poisson-lion : guide de contrôle et de gestion. Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Special Publication Series Number 3, Marathon, Florida, USA. 113 pp. Pour des chapitres au sein de l'ouvrage Akins, J.L. 2013. Éducation et sensibilisation : Etablir soutien et expertise. Pages 15- 23 in: J.A. Morris Jr. (ed.) L'Invasion du poisson-lion : guide de contrôle et de gestion. Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Special Publication Series Number 3, Marathon, Florida, USA. 113 pp. © 2013 by the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • National Invasive Lionfish Prevention and Management Plan
    5/5/2014 National Invasive Lionfish Prevention and Management Plan PREPARED BY: INVASIVE LIONFISH CONTROL AD-HOC COMMITTEE OF THE AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES TASK FORCE ABBREVIATIONS LIST ANS – Aquatic Nuisance Species ANSTF – Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force EDRR – Early Detection and Rapid Response FWC – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FKNMS – Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary GSARP – Gulf and South Atlantic Regional Panel GSMFC – Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission NAS – Non-Native Aquatic Species NGOs – Non-Governmental Organization PLAN – National Invasive Lionfish Prevention and Management Plan NISA – National Invasive Species Act of 1996 NMFS – National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPS – National Park Service REEF – Reef Environmental Education Foundation USFWS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS – U.S. Geological Survey TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... I COMMITTEE MEMBER LIST ........................................................................................................................... II LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................... III LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Competitive Interactions for Shelter Between Invasive Pacific Red Lionfish and Native Nassau Grouper
    Environ Biol Fish DOI 10.1007/s10641-014-0236-9 Competitive interactions for shelter between invasive Pacific red lionfish and native Nassau grouper Wendel W.Raymond & Mark A. Albins & Timothy J. Pusack Received: 12 September 2013 /Accepted: 14 January 2014 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014 Abstract The invasive Pacific red lionfish (Pterois positioned closer to and used limited shelter more when volitans) poses a threat to western Atlantic and Carib- paired with similarly sized lionfish and (2) grouper bean coral reef systems. Lionfish are small-bodied pred- moved much further away from shelter when paired ators that can reduce the abundance and diversity of with smaller lionfish. We also found that neither large native fishes via predation. Additionally, native preda- lionfish nor large Nassau grouper preyed upon smaller tors or competitors appear to have a negligible effect on individuals of the opposite species suggesting that Nas- similarly sized lionfish. Nassau grouper (Epinephelus sau grouper do not recognize small lionfish as prey. This striatus) are a regionally endangered, large predator study highlights how invasive lionfish may affect native found throughout lionfish’s invasive range. Because Nassau grouper, and suggests that competition for shel- lionfish and Nassau grouper occupy similar habitats ter between these two species may be size dependent. and use similar resources, there is potential for compe- tition between these two species. Using large, outdoor Keywords Avoidance . Bahamas . Refuge . Shelter in-ground tanks, we investigated how lionfish and Nas- dominance . Size dependence sau grouper affect each other’s behavior by comparing their distance from and use of shelter when in isolation versus when both species were in the presence of each Introduction other with limited shelter.
    [Show full text]