Potential Effects of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish Invasion on the Bahamian Lobster Fishery

Human-mediated introductions of species outside of their native range are becoming increasingly common and pose a significant threat to marine biodiversity (Ruiz et al. 1997, Molnar et al. 2008).When introduced species become invasive, they interfere with the ecological functioning of native communities (Grosholz 2002) and can cause ecological and economic impacts ranging from species extinction to altered industry and societal structure (Bax et al. 2003).Introduced by way of the southeastern United States, Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have rapidly swept through the Caribbean region with the first recorded sighting in the Bahamas in 2004(Whitfield et al. 2002, Schofield 2009).They are now observed in densities far exceeding those of their native range (Green and Côté 2009) and can reduce recruitment of native fish species by up to 79% (Albins and Hixon 2008).The ecological impacts of the lionfish invasion have been the focus of most research to date, as these predatory fish consume a wide array of native fish and crustacean species (Morris and Akins 2009).Although many of these prey species are of economic importance, as of yet there has been virtually no investigation of the economic implications of the lionfish invasion.Lionfish could impact fisheries in at least three ways: i) By preying on larval and juvenile stages of species important to reef fisheries, lionfish could cause declines in recruitment to larger size classes, leading to a gradual reduction in landings.This is likely to be difficult to detect in the short term due to the relatively recent nature of the invasion.ii) Lionfish may compete with native reef predators for prey but may also compete spatially with a variety of native species for suitable shelter, and iii) Lastly, fishers anecdotally report slowing their pace when working around lionfish because of concerns over their venomous spines (E.B.H., unpublished data).Depending on the fishery and the type of gear used, lionfish in and around traps could lead to increased handling time, reducing fishing efficiency with concomitant drops in catch per unit effort and income.The main goal of this study is 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.

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