Perceptions of diver-fishermen and recreational divers on lionfish as a threat in the Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes, southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Worldwide, biological invasions remain an unrelenting environmental disaster. In the last years, the Indo-Pacific lionfish, Pterois volitans, has become one of the most highly surveyed biological invasions in Western Atlantic Ocean. This predator fish has the potential to affect the invaded ecosystem due to its voracity, fast population growth, and strong competition with native fauna for resources, which in turn implies a threat to coral reefs. A common strategy addressing this invasion relies on culling, which requires systematic volunteer's efforts on given areas of lionfish abundance to be effective. Understanding volunteer's perceptions towards this invasion is vital to engaging volunteers in culling campaigns. Here, we analyze perceptions, based on open questions, Likert-scale type, and Damage Schedule format, of volunteers (diver-fishermen and recreational divers), towards lionfish in the Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes (PNAA), off northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The results showed heterogeneous perceptions of volunteers shaped by distinct interests these groups have in the area, with diver-fishermen's concerns most related to their lobster catch and recreational divers referring mainly on uncontrolled tourism a major environmental problem in the PNAA. This scenario implies both groups remain unaware of the effects from this invasion on the coral reef ecosystem, but they showed willingness to participate in lionfish removals. A lack of robust awareness of these groups within a natural protected area in the southern Gulf of Mexico is of concern. We recommend further evaluations of users perspectives on lionfish as a threat and on lionfish as a viable market of consumption as strategy to control its population.