ICRI Regional Lionfish Workshop

In January 2010 during the general assembly of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), the Secretariat agreed to set up an Ad Hoc Committee to develop a strategic plan for the control of lionfish in the Wider Caribbean. The control of this invasive species is supported on Article 8 In-situ conservation subdivision “h” of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in which “prevents the introduction, control and eradication of those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitat or species”, as well as in Article 12 of the regional treaty “Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol” of the Cartagena Convention. This committee has since been formed and is organizing a regional workshop with a view to develop a strategy for the prevention, control and management of Lionfish (Pterois sp.) In the Wider Caribbean. Specifically it will:

• Develop a draft strategy to control, monitor, and minimize impact of Lionfish (Pterois sp.) that will develop the capacity to reduce the threat from future marine invasions in the Wider Caribbean and their consequent harm to our marine environment.
• Compile existing information of this species in the Wider Caribbean.
• Establish the basis for generating information about this species.
• Identify current strategies to control this species in the countries involved.
• Establish activities, actions and common policies in the Wider Caribbean to control, traffic, import, export and marketing of exotic invasive species.
• Develop and implement communication strategies and effective dissemination geared to the needs of the Wider Caribbean and locally.

Outcomes

The outcome of this workshop would be widely circulated within the region before it is presented to the International Coral Reef Initiative meeting to be held in Samoa in November 2010.

• Summary of the Workshop
• Workshop Summary (PDF File)
• Resumen del Taller (PDF File)

For more information, please contact the workshop organizers:

• Ricardo Gomez ([email protected])
• Lad Akins ([email protected])

This workshop is funded by the National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP), Mexico, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), U.S., and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S., and the government of France (ICRI Co-Secretariat).