REEF is continuing our ground-breaking research and outreach on the lionfish invasion with projects in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The project is supported with funding from the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant and the Buck Island REEF National Park and long-time supporters Henry Foundation, Oceans Foundation and Munson Foundation. REEF researchers have teamed with Simon Fraser University (SFU) and will be collaborating with the St Croix Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to implement an 18 month project aimed at increasing awareness, conducting hands-on training and determining effectiveness of removal strategies to deal with the recent lionfish invasion.
In August and October of this year project teams joined up with local dive operators, NGOs, and state and federal agencies to conduct numerous lionfish workshops and seminars as well as initiate studies of local reef areas. REEF volunteers and researchers from the National Aquarium, National Park Service, and SFU spent more than 24,000 minutes underwater conducting detailed surveys of 16 sites in each area. In addition, the team initiated meetings to develop response plans and increase awareness of local communities about the lionfish issue. REEF is looking for funding to continue this effort beyond the current December 2010 project endline. For more information or to contribute to this or other lionfish research efforts, contact lad Akins at Lad@reef.org or call (305) 852-0030.
If you see a lionfish on a survey while in the western Atlantic, or any non-native species, please report it through REEF's Exotic Species Sightings form here -- http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/report