The population explosion of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean is a serious threat to coral reefs, with potential long-term consequences for native fish communities, habitats and entire ecosystems.
NOAA, in collaboration with the National Center for Coastal Ocean Science has created an infographic to help share some of the information regarding lionfish and their explosive growth.
Lionfish are well-known for their venomous spines, rapid colonization rate, and generalist preferences for both habitat and diet. Invasive lionfish are capable of causing significant impacts to biodiversity and recovery of coral reefs, a result of their high densities and predation rates on native fish communities.
For more information on how the lionfish population will be managed, check out the NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Lionfish Response Plan (2015-2018). You may also be interested in the Invasive Lionfish Web Portal, which contains a wealth of information on lionfish, the areas they threaten, and attempts to manage their populations.
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