Improving the management of the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) by determining movement patterns and depth preference
Mejorando la gestion del pez león invasor (Pterois volitans) determinando sus patrones de movimiento y preferencia de profundidad
Brief Description:
The overall goal of the project is to identify new ways to limit the ecological and economic impacts of invasive lionfish both locally and regionally. Acoustic tags were surgically implanted in 30 lionfish during the first of two tagging phases. tagging have strong site fidelity and are not moving great distances on the continuous deep reef wall. They are staying with 200m horizontally of where they were first tagged. However, many lionfish are making regular vertical movements to depths beyond recreational dive limits. lionfish appear to be subject to predation from native predators at rates much higher than previously suspected. Acoustic data indicates that between (14-32%) of tagged lionfish were preyed upon up to 3 months post-tagging. Nurse sharks are thought to be the primary predator, as the project team encountered difficulties with these native predators on numerous tagging dives. Data gathered from these tags regarding horizontal and vertical movement patterns of these lionfish will inform future management plans. This is a BEST 2 initiative project.
El objetivo general del proyecto es identificar nuevas formas de limitar los impactos ecológicos y económicos del pez león invasor tanto a nivel local como regional. Las marcas acústicas se implantaron quirúrgicamente en 30 peces león durante la primera de las dos fases de marcado. el marcado tiene una gran fidelidad al sitio y no se mueve grandes distancias en la pared continua del arrecife profundo. Se quedan a 200 m horizontalmente de donde fueron marcados por primera vez. Sin embargo, muchos peces león realizan movimientos verticales regulares a profundidades más allá de los límites del buceo recreativo. El pez león parece estar sujeto a la depredación de los depredadores nativos a tasas mucho más altas de lo que se sospechaba anteriormente. Los datos acústicos indican que entre (14-32%) de los peces león marcados fueron depredados hasta 3 meses después del marcado. Se cree que los tiburones nodriza son el depredador principal, ya que el equipo del proyecto encontró dificultades con estos depredadores nativos en numerosas inmersiones de marcado. Los datos recopilados de estas etiquetas con respecto a los patrones de movimiento horizontal y vertical de estos peces león informarán los planes de gestión futuros. Este es un proyecto de iniciativa BEST 2.
Lead Organization : Central Caribbean Marine Institute
Donor: European Commission Directorate General for International Cooperation (DG-DEVCO)
Contributions to the 10-year CLME+ Strategic Action Programme (2015-2025)
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1. Enhance the regional governance arrangements for the protection of the marine environment
1.11. Establish and/or enhance the capacity of the regional, sub –regional and national governance arrangements for the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the state of the marine environment
2. Enhance the regional governance arrangements for sustainable fisheries
3. Establish and operationalise a regional policy coordination mechanismfor ocean governance, with initial focus on shared Living Marine Resources
4. Enhance the governance arrangements for ecosystem-based management for reefs and associated ecosystems
4.6. Establish and/or enhance the institutional structure and capacity of (sub-)regional and national arrangements for implementing management and conservation measures for reef ecosystems
4A. Enhance the governance arrangementsfor implementing an ecosystem approach for spiny lobster fisheries
4B. Enhance the governance arrangementsfor implementing an ecosystem approach for queen conch fisheries
5. Enhance the governance arrangements for implementing an ecosystem approach for pelagic fisheries
5A. Enhance the governance arrangements for implementing the ecosystem approach for flyingfish fisheries
5B. Enhance the governance arrangementsfor implementing an ecosystem approach for large pelagics fisheries
6. Implement EBM/EAF of the Guianas-Brazil continental shelf with special reference to the shrimp and groundfish fishery
Contributions to the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Agenda (SDG’s)
Please click on the SDG14 colored icon to see to which specific SDG14 targets this initiative is contributing.
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
10 Reduce inequality within and among countries
11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Other Regional and Global Commitments
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