Experts to fight against invasive sea species in the Caribbean

Santo Domingo.– Dominican and Jamaican experts are joining efforts to mitigate the threat of invasive exotic marine species such as the lionfish, in the Caribbean.

According to the Dominican Ministry of Environment, the rapid spread of the lionfish in the Caribbean threatens the sustainability of the fishing industry in the region.

The most recent action in this regard includes a workshop on management and control held by Jamaican Dayne Buddo, of the University of the West Indies.

In less than a decade, the Indo-Pacific lionfish has become widely established along the Caribbean and Southeast U.S., and now is invading the Gulf of Mexico and South America.

The experts said lionfish are capable of permanently impacting native reef fish communities across multiple trophic levels and may hamper stock rebuilding efforts and coral reef conservation measures.