About This Project

Lionfish, an invasive predatory fish from the Indo-Pacific, have been altering the native reef fishes communities on coral reefs throughout the Caribbean for the past decade. In Panama, recreational divers with the Clear This Fish Foundation have been removing lionfish from reefs near Portobelo since 2009.

Our goal is to measure the success of these efforts by scientifically evaluating native fish biomass on reefs cleared of lionfish compared to nearby reefs where the lionfish remain.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Since 2009, the Clear This Fish Foundation (CTFF) has been conducting a lionfish removal program in Portobelo, Panama. Thanks to their efforts, the dive operators in the area report a staggering recovery of the native fish populations. They claim that there is a huge difference between the reefs where Foundation divers hunt for lionfish and nearby reefs where the lionfish remain.

Clearly, the CTFF is having a big effect on the health of the local coral reefs, at least according to the divers who dive regularly in the area. However, we want to verify, scientifically, that this is the case so we can expand this model out to other areas where lionfish have invaded - all that is needed are divers that care about the health of their coral reefs!

What is the significance of this project?

The invasion of non-native lionfish into the Caribbean Sea is one of the most important marine conservation issues facing the area. Lionfish are voracious predators that consume native reef fishes and alter the native fish communities on coral reefs, which has cascading effects on the health of the reefs.

Diver removals of lionfish may be one of the only sustainable methods for controlling this invasion. We hope to show that even a modest effort by local recreational divers can significantly improve the health of the coral reef fish communities. If successful, this model can be applied to other areas in the Caribbean where the lionfish have invaded.

What are the goals of the project?

The goals of our project are two-fold: first, we will conduct a scientific expedition to assess the efficacy of the Clear This Fish Foundation's lionfish removal efforts. Two scientific divers will travel from Miami to Panama to dive with CTFF divers and conduct scientific surveys to measure the health of the coral reefs and native reef fishes where CTFF divers have hunted lionfish. Results of the expedition will be shared on social media and written up for publication in a scientific journal.

Second, to support the efforts of the Foundation so that local divers can continue their work in keeping the reefs clear of lionfish. The lionfish hunting season has already begun in Panama, and if funded the Foundation will be able expand the number of lionfish hunting trips this year.