June 1, 2004 — People and marine ecosystems are likely to have increasing encounters with venomous and invasive lionfish along the East Coast in coming years, NOAA scientists predict.

In a recently published NOAA report, scientists anticipate that invasive lionfish populations will continue to grow, increasing risks to divers and fishers. Furthermore, the ecosystem effects resulting from the lionfish invasion will become more noticeable as the lionfish population increases.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) are beautiful, yet venomous, coral reef fish from Indian and western Pacific oceans that have invaded East Coast waters. (Click on NOAA image to the left for a larger view of lionfish distributions as of summer 2003. Please credit "NOAA.") Ironically, this species of lionfish is popular in large saltwater aquariums because of its brilliant maroon and white stripes and fan-like fins. However, beneath the fin's delicate exterior are venomous spines that are probably used for protection against predators.

Lionfish in Atlantic Coastal Waters
Along the southeast United States, adult lionfish have been found at depths of 85 to 300 feet from Florida to North Carolina. Juvenile lionfish have also been observed in North Carolina, Bermuda and as far north as New York. NOAA scientists conclude that the large number of adults observed and the occurrence of juveniles indicates that lionfish are established and reproducing in coastal waters along the southeast United States. Furthermore, there is evidence that lionfish numbers are increasing.

Lionfish were likely first introduced off the Florida coast in the early to mid-1990s by intentional or unintentional release from the aquarium trade, including amateur home aquariums. There is no evidence suggesting that these lionfish derived from other common invasive species sources, such as ballast water dumping from the shipping industry, live-bait use by anglers or fouling on recreational boat hulls or semi-submersible oil platforms.

Concern about the Lionfish Invasion
NOAA has two major concerns about the lionfish invasion: that divers or others may be stung and that the lionfish may endanger native species:

• Although there have been no reported human deaths attributed to lionfish stings, they are known to cause severe pain, swelling, numbness and occasionally paralysis in humans. Researchers urge caution to anyone who encounters these fish. With most lionfish occurring in waters more than 100 feet deep, divers and those deep sea fishing are most likely to encounter this fish.
• Although the predatory interactions of lionfish within Atlantic reef communities are not well understood, lionfish could pose a threat to the local environment (and the nation’s economy). NOAA researchers are concerned that lionfish could decrease prey population abundance (i.e., small fish and crustaceans) and/or compete with other predators (including commercially valuable snapper and grouper). Furthermore, the lionfish has few, if any, natural predators in its new Atlantic environment.

Challenges Associated with the Lionfish Invasion
Unfortunately, removing lionfish from the southeast United States continental shelf ecosystem would be expensive and likely impossible, because of the large geographic range and depths this fish's now occupies.

NOAA scientists point out that the introduction and spread of lionfish illustrate the difficulty inherent in managing introduced species in the marine environment. Lionfish now join the ranks of other invasive species, such as the European green crab, Asian eels and zebra mussel.

Although it's still too early to predict the impact lionfish will have on the Atlantic coast, the damaging impacts of other invasive species have already left their mark on too many of the nation’s valuable coastal ecosystems.

Fortunately, researchers at the NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research in Beaufort, N.C., have completed (and published) their assessment of this lionfish invasion and are prepared to work with other agencies and NOAA offices to understand the effect of lionfish on the marine ecosystem.

NOAA’s Invasive Species Activities
"Each year, aquatic invasive species cause billions of dollars in damages on the U.S. economy, much of which is passed on to the consumer,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This is why NOAA is dedicated to its work in this area, which also supports one of NOAA’s primary mission goals — to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources.”

Not only does NOAA co-chair both the interagency Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force and the National Invasive Species Council, but three NOAA divisions also address invasive species issues. Specifically, the NOAA Ocean Service, NOAA Fisheries Service and NOAA Research all work on invasive species research, outreach and/or education.

NOAA Ocean Service
Within the NOAA Ocean Service, the NOAA National Center for Coastal Ocean Science and National Estuarine Research Reserve conduct invasive species activities:

• The NOAA National Center for Coastal Ocean Science is developing a new invasive species program that will detect, quantify possible risks and warn managers before invasive species spread beyond their point of initial introduction. A program Web site is under development to serve as a “one-stop” portal for the public to access the early warning system and other relevant information. The implementation of this program began in FY02 as a pilot project in coastal Hawaii. As additional data is collected from other coastal regions, it will be integrated into a national early warning system.
• The NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (Beaufort, N.C.), is the second oldest federal fisheries laboratory in the United States and is jointly sponsored by the NCCOS and NOAA Fisheries. It was NOAA CCFHR researchers, Jonathan A. Hare and Paula E. Whitfield, who completed the recently published “Integrated Assessment of the Introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) to the Western Atlantic Ocean,” that was referred to previously. As follow-on to this assessment, the lab recently received additional funding from the NOAA Undersea Research Program to conduct a new lionfish baseline population study starting in August 2004. This study will examine the status of the lionfish population and collect important life history and ecological data that will help identify the risks lionfish pose to Atlantic coast ecosystems. The public is encouraged to report all lionfish sightings and collections to Paula Whitfield at the NOAA Beaufort Laboratory, (252) 728-8714 or by e-mail at paula.whitfield@noaa.gov.
• Eighty-five problematic non-native species have been identified in a majority of the 26 National Estuarine Research Reserve systems. As a result, more than half the reserves are monitoring the spread of a non-native aquatic plant of concern — many are tracking crab invasions.

NOAA Research
Within NOAA Research, the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program conduct invasive species activities. NOAA Research also receives the largest invasive species funding allocation of all the NOAA divisions— $4.6 million to $8.5 million over the last three years. Furthermore, NOAA Research is the leader in ballast water treatment technologies.

• The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. is NOAA’s leading internal institution for aquatic invasive species research. Currently, the lab’s research focuses on identifying new ballast water treatments technologies for invasive species and the ecological impacts of invasive species. The new National Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species is also located at the GLERL. The center will allow NOAA to more effectively organize and coordinate its aquatic invasive species research efforts at the national level.
• The National Sea Grant College Program has played a major role in both defining the research agenda on aquatic nuisance species and in the development of coastal state invasive species management plans. Over the last four years, the program has funded numerous research studies on 40 different species. Sea Grant projects have involved a wide variety of invasive species issues, including those related to shipping, live bait, and aquaculture industries and educational and outreach efforts geared toward recreational boaters, anglers, students and teachers. Sea Grant has also set up a technical library — the National Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse (which contains both published and unpublished literature on various invasive species) and a public awareness site — Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species Site. The Minnesota Sea Grant Program (and the rest of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Program), in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, will soon launch a new campaign addressing the release of invasive species from both private aquariums and water gardens. Initial planning meetings have already taken place and suggested alternatives to releasing fish from their captive environments have been identified, including offers from several large aquarium retailers to voluntarily take back unwanted fish purchases. Having already acquired a combined (Sea Grant and PIJAC) initial total funding of $1.4 million, the project should be ready to launch in September 2004.

NOAA Fisheries Service

• NOAA Fisheries has been involved in control and eradication activities. As examples, NOAA is partnering with other Federal agencies and the State of California to eradicate an extremely invasive algal species (Caulerpa taxifolia) from two sites near San Diego, and the Northwest Fisheries Science Center has worked on control of Spartina alterniflora in the State of Washington. Several habitat restoration projects have involved removal of invasive species. NOAA Fisheries also sponsored a survey of non-native species in Mobile Bay last fall.

NOAA can point to significant achievements since the National Invasive Species Act mandated it to address invasive species issues. Although much more work remains, NOAA will continue its efforts in this area.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Ocean Service

NOAA Fisheries Service

NOAA Research

NOAA Lionfish Information

NOAA Lionfish Fact Sheet

Lionfish Request for information flyer

An Integrated Assessment of the Introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) to the Western Atlantic Ocean

NOAA ESTABLISHES NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (NOAA News Story)

INVASIVE MARINE SPECIES FOUND ON GEORGES BANK (NOAA News Story)

LIONFISH OBSERVED OFF NORTH CAROLINA (Press Release)

Media Contact:
Jana Goldman, NOAA Research, (301) 713-2483, Ben Sherman, NOAA Ocean Service, (301) 713-3066 ext. 178 or Connie Barclay, NOAA Fisheries, (301) 713-2370