RFF March 2012
Adrianna Muir, Ph.D.
U.S. Department of State
Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs
Michael Trulson
U.S. Department of State
Office of Ecology and Conservation
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 Cross-cutting
global issue that impacts
international relations and diplomacy
•Borderless, regionally-scaled problem
•The U.S. imports and exports invasive species
•The U.S. is linked by alliances, territories, regional interests
•The U.S. is looked to for technical leadership
•We can enhance international relations via collaboration and science diplomacy
Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP, GRID-Arendal
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Representing
the U.S. internationally
• Coordination among U.S. agencies
• Engage directly with other countries
• Communicate with regional bodies and
international organizations
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http://animalsspecies.blogspot.com/2011/03/lion-fish.html
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2009
Schofield et al. 2009; Whitfield etMorris
al 2002;
2007, REEF
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 Biodiversity
Native fish and crustaceans
 Indirect impact on food
webs
Coral reef resiliency by
exacerbating stress
 Local
Pterois volitans, P. miles
economy
Fisheries via native
populations and stockrebuilding efforts
Tourism: snorkeling, diving,
and recreational fishing
Todd R. Gardner
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• Various approaches
• Challenges:
 Slow institutional response,
relative to the fast-moving
invasion
 Legislative obstacles
 Lack of resources
 Uncoordinated region
• What are the next steps?
• What questions remain
unanswered?
meterdown.com
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
Example strategies:
• Bahamas -- National Lionfish Response Plan
• USVI -- Lionfish Response Management Plan

Implementation efforts
• Awareness campaigns
• Fishing tournaments
• Seafood campaigns

How can the region
coordinate to implement
response plans?
National Geographic
• How do we coordinate stakeholders interests?
• How do we adapt invasive species responses to the unique
needs of the region for realistic goals and actions?
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 Create
incentives for
lionfish control via
monetary reward
 E.g.: Belize
 Lacking economic analysis
Env. Tobago
• What should be the value?
• Should compensation change
over time if/when lionfish
become harder to catch?
• What is the cost/unit effort?
SFA
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 Eat lionfish campaigns
• Cited as option with greatest
potential
• Dual benefit: control and local
economy
meterdown.com
 Unanswered questions
• Economically viable?
• No applicable examples of fishery
management aimed at control
• Environmental risks to reefs?
• Unintended restocking?
• Risk of ciguatera poisoning?
 “Food
Fish Forum” (Nov 2012)
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
Regional Strategy
Development (Nov 2012
workshop)
• Focus effort on actions for which
broad local implementation 
significant regional impact (i.e.,
focused lionfish collection,
information exchange, policy
coordination)
• Long-term goal is to lay the
foundation for future prevention
in the region
Appropriate framework?
 Needed participation?
http://www.unep.ch/regionalseas/dumcar.html

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
Regional Lionfish Committee (ICRI Ad-Hoc
Committee)
• 2010 built consensus and momentum for coordinated
response

“Facilitate a coordinated response to the lionfish
invasion in the Caribbean”
• U.S., Mexico, France, Australia, Belize Dominican Republic,
UNEP
• Focus on initiatives that will benefit from regional coordination
• Coordinate with ongoing efforts: (e.g., CABI’s “Strategy and
Action Plan for Invasive Alien Species in the Caribbean
Region”)

Other RLC efforts
• ICRI Policy advisory statement
• Training workshops
• Webportal creation
• Manual: "Strategies and Practices for invasive lionfish control“
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