to fishermen - CAR-SPAW-RAC

Proposal of a management plan for lionfish
in the Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes,
northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
This is to certify that the oral presentation “Proposal of a
management plan for the lionfish in the Parque
Nacional Arrecife Alacranes, northern Yucatan
Peninsula, Mexico” was presented by Alfonso AguilarPerera, Evelyn Carrillo-Flota and Cristóbal CáceresG.Cantón in the Lionfish Workshop on November 12,
2015, during the 68th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries
Institute Meeting in Panama.
Alfonso Aguilar-Perera1, Evelyn Carrillo-Flota1, Cristóbal Cáceres-G. Cantón2
1
Departamento Biología Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
2
Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes, CONANP
Actions against lionfish
Lionfish Management Plans in the region
Anguilla, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire,
Colombia, Cuba, Saint Eusthatius, The
Bahamas, US (and USVI and Puerto
Rico), among others
Common proposals
• Mechanical removal through derbies and
tournaments (volunteers)
• Enviromental education to people
• Promotion of lionfish meat consumption
• Database establishment
• Coordination among government and
users
• Scientific research
OBJECTIVES
Describe current situation of the lionfish
invasion in the Parque Nacional
Arrecife Alacranes (PNAA)
Proposal of a management plan for
lionfish in the Parque Nacional Arrecife
Alacranes
Lessons learned
Gulf
of
Mexico
Mexico
Southern Gulf of Mexico
66 miles
Merida
Yucatan
Peninsula
Parque Nacional
Arrecife Alacranes
333,788 ha
Desterrada
Muertos
Isla Pérez
Chica
Pájaros
First lionfish in Southern Gulf of Mexico
December 2009 in “Pacharela Reef”: 38 m
depth, 50 km West to Alacranes Reef
National Park. Diver-Fisherman Moisés Uc
“Cóli”
Aguilar-Perera & Tuz-Sulub
(2010) 5, S1:9-12
137 mm TL
•
•
•
•
Tissue repossitory
Otolith collection
Stomach content analysis
Database (size, meristics,
coordinates, et.)
Community Participation
Workshops to lobster, Mayan diver-fishermen
in the northern Yucatan Peninsula
Lobster fishing season: July 2010-Feb 2015
About 100 fishermen in 3 fishing community
groupings (cooperativas). We asked
permissions to fishing grouper leaders
Workshops to fishermen
Field trips to
Alacranes Reef
To give kits to
Lobster fishermen
INCENTIVES
FOR
FISHERMEN
2010-2013
N = 800 samples
provided by
fishermen
Desterrada
Muertos
Isla Pérez
2014-2015
At 140 ft
20 fish per 0.5 ha
Chica
Pájaros
Lionfish Invasion
Categories for the
FKNMS by NOAA
(Morris y Withfield
2009)
ADVANCED
INTERMEDIAT
E
EARLY
INITIAL
Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes
Coordination
Agreements among
local (state)
governmental agencies
Secretary/Entity in
charge of surveillance
and information
integration
Working groups
coordinated between
government and public
Funding for endurance
of lionfish population
control programs in the
PNAA
Control efforts:
monitoring,
surveillance and
captures
Report of sightings
Program of permanent
monitoring
Capacitacity building to
participants on lionfish
captures
Establishment of
sampling methods
Lionfish fishing
tournaments
Bioeconomic and
biosecurity analyses on
native species
Gastronomy
Research
Outreach
Surveys on biology,
trophic ecology and
potential predators
of lionfish
Divulgation of control
programs in different
population sectors
Surveys on social
participation
Design of
instruments for more
efficient captures
Studies on the
venom and on cases
of public health
Elaboration of
technical manuals
for diseccting
lionfish
Market surveys for
local consumption
Local
commerce
Use of different
communication media
to inform on the current
situation in the PNAA
Non-monetary
incentives for allowing
participation of users
and the public
Periodically, notifying
on current activities on
detection of lionfish
Implementation of
workshops and festivals
promoting capture and
consumption
Handicrafts
Lionfish 435 mm LT
at 130 feet deep
2014
Largest
lionfish ever
in PNAA
455 mm TL
at 140
2015
feet
14 lionfish in 6 min at 140 feet deep
In a southern site off the PNAA
(14 Oct 2015)
The Lionfish
Container
LIO-CONT
5 gallon plastic
water container
Used as
Zookeeper
Fits 14 lionfish of 25 cm TL each
What do We Know?
 Lionfish invasion in PNAA is advanced
 800 lionfish in a year
 Density in deep area 20 fish per 0.5 ha
 Range size (90-455 mm TL)
 Northern PNAA at shallow areas, Southern at
deep areas
What have we got?
 Partnership with Mayan LOBSTER
diver-fishermen established
 Building trust, successful
 Enhancing research capacity by
fishermen collaboration, successful
 Gaining volunteer assistance from
fishermen community effective, but not
complete. They need more incentives
Shortcomings
 Many fishermen prefer not to collaborate
because of management problems
(conch, sea cucumber)
 Remote distance to the PNAA from coast
is a problem for keeping lionfish frozen
vs. common resources (lobster)
 Few recreational divers care to address
the lionfish problem in the PNAA
Shortcomings
Fishermen response slowed down
In Mexico, lionfish is NOT officially
recognized as invasive species by law
Limited funding for supporting activities
Fishermen still hesitant in investing on
lionfish meat
Needs
 Funding is crucial for logistics to travel
to the PNAA, organizing workshops and
getting incentives (fins, masks, etc) to
fishermen
 Developing a permanent BRIGADE of
fishermen catching lionfish
 Promote lionfish consumption among
fishermen and other users
 Necessary to find a market niche for
commercialization
http://issuu.com/pezleonmx/docs/lionfishmanual/1
http://issuu.com/pezleonmx/docs/manual_pez_leon
Acknowledgements
THANK YOU!
¡GRACIAS
MERCI!