Barbados Lionfish Derby                                     November 2, 2025

Lionfish Invasion History

• Two visually identical species of lionfish (Pterois miles and P.volitans) were introduced into the Atlantic via the US aquarium trade beginning  in  the  1980’s

• Lionfish invaded range is North Carolina to South America including the Gulf of Mexico

• Lionfish have established throughout most of the Caribbean in less than five years  

 

Biology

• Lionfish may live decades and reach sizes exceeding 47cm (19  in)

• Lionfish inhabit all marine habitat types and depths (shoreline to over 300m or 1000ft)  

• Lionfish possess venomous spines capable of deterring predators and inflicting mild to serious stings and reactions in humans

• Lionfish temperature tolerance is approximately 10‐35°C  (50‐95°F)

• Lionfish become sexually mature in less than a year and spawn in pairs

• Reproduction occurs throughout the year about every 4 days

• In the Caribbean, a single female lionfish can spawn over 2 million eggs/year  

• Lionfish eggs are held together in a gelatinous mass of 12,000 to 15,000 eggs and are dispersed at the ocean’s surface by currents

• Their larval duration is approximately 25 days

 

Ecology

• Lionfish can reach densities of over 200 adults per acre

• Lionfish are generalist carnivores that consume over 70 species of fish and many invertebrate species,

  capable of eating prey up to half their body length

• Many lionfish prey on commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important species

• Dense lionfish populations can consume more than 460,000 prey fish/acre/year

• On heavily invaded sites, lionfish have reduced their fish prey populations by up to 90% and continue to

  consume native fishes at unsustainable rates

• Native predators exhibit avoidance for lionfish

• Lionfish are susceptible to very few parasites compared to native species

• Lionfish exhibit site fidelity

• Lionfish have a high affinity for structure and feed primarily during dawn and dusk

 

Control

• Lionfish are edible and considered a delicacy

• Local removal efforts that are sustained can significantly reduce lionfish