Lessons from the invasion front: Integration of research and management of the lionfish invasion in Brazil

Abstract

After successful invasions in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, lionfish (Pterois spp.) have recently invaded another important biogeographical region —the Brazilian Province. In this article, we discuss this new invasion, focusing on a roadmap for urgent mitigation of the problem, as well as focused research and management strategies. The invasion in Brazil is already in the consolidation stage, with 352 individuals recorded so far (2020–2023) along 2766 km of coastline. This includes both juveniles and adults, including egg-bearing females, ranging in length from 9.1 to 38.5 cm. Until now, most of the records in the Brazilian coast occurred in the equatorial southwestern Atlantic (99%), mainly on the Amazon mesophotic reefs (15% of the records), northeastern coast of Brazil (45%), and the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (41%; an UNESCO World Heritage Site with high endemism rate). These records cover a broad depth range (1–110 m depth), twelve protected areas, eight Brazilian states (Amapa, ´Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, and Pernambuco)