Invasive lionfish spread through southwestern atlantic marine protected areas

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Invasive Species Ecology
• Conservation Science

Background:

• Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) pose a significant threat to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) due to their high densities and negative impacts on native species, fisheries, and food webs.
• A critical knowledge gap exists regarding the current and future invasion status of lionfish within Southwestern Atlantic MPAs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically assess the extent and types of MPAs invaded by lionfish in the SW Atlantic.
• To predict the potential future distribution of invasive lionfish using Species Distribution Models.

Main Methods:

• Systematic assessment of lionfish invasion across SW Atlantic MPAs.
• Application of Maximum Entropy modeling (Species Distribution Models) to forecast future distributions.

Main Results:

• Lionfish have invaded at least 18 SW Atlantic MPAs between 2020-2024, primarily in multiple-use areas (78%).
• Population growth is expected due to a lack of culling in 88% of affected MPAs.
• Models predict lionfish will occupy 33% of Brazilian MPAs currently and expand to an additional 25 MPAs within 10 years, reaching 60%.

Conclusions:

• The rapid spread of lionfish in SW Atlantic MPAs highlights an urgent need for coordinated management and control strategies.
• Benthic salinity and sea body temperature are key environmental drivers influencing lionfish distribution.
• Proactive measures are essential to mitigate the ecological and economic impacts of lionfish invasions across the Atlantic basin.