POLICY AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR INVASIVE INDO-PACIFIC LIONFISH IN U.S. WATERS
Date
2011-04-29
Author
Advisors
Read, Andrew J.
Orbach, Michael K.
Morris, James A.
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Abstract
The Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) is now one of the most notorious
marine finfish invasions in history. With established populations ranging from North
Carolina, U.S.A, to the Atlantic coast of South America and the Gulf of Mexico, invasive
lionfish have the potential to seriously hamper rebuilding efforts for domestic and
international fisheries, negatively impact marine ecotourism, limit marine ornamental
aquarium trade profits, and adversely affect human health. Considering that current
lionfish management practices in U.S. waters are minimal at best, there is a need
to identify and analyze additional management options aimed at controlling local densities
of lionfish, and ultimately mitigate the ecological and economic impact of this invasion.
This masters project describes the progress of current lionfish management efforts
and legislation within the United States. Policy and management options for invasive
lionfish at the state, territorial, and federal levels are described, and analyses
of lionfish management practices conducted by different managerial authorities were
assessed. A review is also provided federal laws that pertain to the lionfish invasion.
Options for specific lionfish management approaches within state and territorial jurisdictional
waters are presented, and an evaluation of the benefits and challenges behind these
options is provided.
This policy review indicates that although current lionfish management within U.S.
state and federal waters is lacking, several management options are available for
future implementation. Options yet to be implemented include creating an Aquatic Nuisance
Species (ANS) Task Force approved lionfish control plan for coordination of lionfish
control efforts in specific locations such as marine protected areas. Additional future
efforts could include development of incentive-based control strategies such as a
lionfish fishery; however taking such action may illicit undesirable economic dependency
on an environmentally harmful species. This analysis reveals the inherent complexity
of addressing management of invasive species, which in the case of invasive lionfish
spans local, state, territorial, federal, and international jurisdictions.
Type
Master's projectPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/3691Citation
Schram, Jonathan (2011). POLICY AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR INVASIVE INDO-PACIFIC LIONFISH IN U.S. WATERS. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/3691.Collections
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