Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database | Central repository for biodiversity related research and monitoring data from the Dutch Caribbean

Media A Decade of Lionfish Management on Bonaire

Lionfish were first spotted off the coast of Bonaire back in 2009. Since then, STINAPA has been working alongside a cast of dedicated volunteers to...
Monitoring protocol Invasive Lionfish - A Guide to Control and Management

The invasion of lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) may prove to be one of the greatest threats of this century to warm temperate and tropical...
Media Environmental DNA FOR Lionfish Mapping

When a new species is introduced to a foreign environment, it can upset the natural balance. One such example, was the introduction of the Pacific...
Other resources Using Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Improve the Accuracy and Efficiency of Managing the Invasive Pacific Red Lionfish in the Caribbean

Abstract The Pacific Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) was introduced to the Atlantic Ocean in the 1980’s. Since their introduction the lionfish have...
Media Rapid Decline in Lionfish for the Saba Bank

Research conducted by the Saba Bank Management Unit and Wageningen University and Research documented the third incidence of rapid lionfish...
Scientific article Controversies and consensus on the lionfish invasion in the Western Atlantic Ocean

This study investigates how the lionfish (Pterois sp.) invasion of the Western Atlantic Ocean has been socially constructed by natural scientists,...
Other resources Feeding ecology and twilight interspecific interactions of lionfish (Pterois spp.) in Bonaire, N.A.

Bioinvasions are defined as the establishment of a species in an area where it has not existed previously. Usually the result of an anthropogenic...
Research report An analysis of SCUBA Lionfish Hunter Specialty courses: How does the involvement of the scuba dive tourism industry support the conservation objectives of the Bonaire National Marine Park?

MSc internship report Within scientific literature, many have expressed the potential of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) to...
Scientific article Indo-Pacific lionfish are larger and more abundant on invaded reefs: a comparison of Kenyan and Bahamian lionfish populations

The invasion by Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) of the western Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico is emerging as a major...
Scientific article Invasive lionfish had no measurable effect on prey fish community structure across the Belizean Barrier Reef

Invasive lionfish are assumed to significantly affect Caribbean reef fish communities. However, evidence of lionfish effects on native reef fishes is...
Research report St. Maarten Nature Foundation Lionfish Response Plan

This document serves as a reference for the controlling and management of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans complex...
Scientific article Predicted impact of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans on the food web of a Caribbean coral reef

The invasion of lionfish in the Caribbean is causing grave concern because of its deleterious impacts on coral reef food-webs. We have used an...
Research report St. Eustatius National Parks - Lionfish Response Plan

This document serves as a reference for the controlling and management of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans complex...
Research report Regional Strategy for the Control of Invasive Lionfish in the Wider Caribbean

Summary: Lionfishes are venomous species of scorpionfishes which are native to Indo-Pacific coral reef ecosystems and adjacent habitats. Because of...
Scientific article Large-scale invasion of western Atlantic mesophotic reefs by lionfish potentially undermines culling-based management

The detrimental effects of invasive lion- fishes (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) on western Atlantic shallow reefs are well documented,...
Other resources The lionfish culling program in Sint Eustatius island, dutch caribbean

Lionfish impacts are highly negative (directly or indirectly) on native populations and the entire Caribbean ecosystem.Since December 2010, when the...
Scientific article Understanding the Lionfish Invasion in Bonaire to Develop the Best Strategy for Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract: Lionfish are venomous, predatory reef fish native to the Indo-Pacific region, but have become widely distributed due to its popularity as...
Other resources Age and Growth of Invasive Lionfish: North Carolina, USA vs Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Lionfish are an invasive species that are now well established throughout the Atlantic. Originally from the Indo-Pacific, they have decimated local...
Other resources The ecological and socio-economic impacts of the lionfish invasion in the Southern Caribbean

The Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous, voracious predator with a high dispersal capactity. In the space of 30 years, it has...
Scientific article Bioaccumulation of mercury and other metal contaminants in invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) from Curaçao

Highlights • Lionfish Hg concentrations fell below World Health Organization safety limits. • Lionfish Hg concentration increased with body size and...
Other resources The State of Antigonon Leptopus (Corallita) on St Eustatius in 2014

Corallita dominates roadsides, infests entire neighborhoods, and has sullied otherwise ecologically varied landscapes. Corallita has been steadily...
Other resources Anti-predator responses of herbivorous ocean surgeonfish, Acanthurus bahianus, to invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans

Since their introduction into the western Atlantic, lionfish (Pterois volitans) have become a major threat to the coral-reef ecosystems. Lionfish...
Research report Testing the effectiviness of two methods for selectively trapping lionfish and estimating the feasibilty of a commercial lionfish fishery on Saba

Student Report The invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) started invading the Caribbean Sea since the 1980's and were first sighted...
Other resources Age And Growth Of The Invasive Lionfish: North Carolina, USA, vs Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Lionfish are an invasive species that are now well established throughout the Atlantic. Originally from the Indo-Pacific, they have decimated local...
Research report Effect of shade on Antigonon leptopus (Corallita) growth and germination rate

MSc. thesis An experimental research conducted in Saba (Dutch Caribbean) as a potential control method for Corallita Non-native species can cause...
Other resources A comparative study of the feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Caribbean

Invasive species are often a detriment to the environment due to the lack of parasites, disease and natural predators in the invaded environment,...
Other resources Invasive lionfish obesity in Bonaire

Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.) have spread to and established sufficient numbers throughout the Caribbean. They are extreme generalists that...
Scientific article Effectiveness of lionfish removal efforts in the southern Caribbean

Abstract: Lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have spread rapidly throughout the Caribbean Sea since 1985, where they negatively impact native...
Scientific article Envenomation by the invasive Pterois volitans species (lionfish) in the French West Indies – a two-year prospective study in Martinique

Abstract Context: The invasion of the lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the French West Indies represents one of the most important marine invasions by...
Research report Final report: Corallita Pilot Project, Study on the ecology and possible control methods of the invasive plant species Antigonon leptopus (Corallita or Mexican Creeper)

This one-year pilot project aims to provide an insight in the ecology of Antigonon leptopus (Corallita) an invasive vine, which is overgrowing the...
Scientific article Lionfish Invasion off the Northern Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Southern Gulf of Mexico: What Do we Know?

Abstract: In 2009, the first lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) was found in the Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, in Quintana Roo, in the Mexican...
Media Lionfish Culling: the Solution to Managing Lionfish Populations in the Dutch Caribbean?

One of the most talked about fish in the Caribbean Region is an exotic looking fish with eye-catching stripes and remarkable feathery pectoral fins:...
Scientific article Native Predators Do Not Influence Invasion Success of Pacific Lionfish on Caribbean Reefs

Abstract: Biotic resistance, the process by which new colonists are excluded from a community by predation from and/or competition with resident...
Scientific article Multi-scale habitat occupancy of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in coral reef environments of Roatan, Honduras

The Indo-Pacific lionfish species [Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) and P. miles (Bennett, 1828): Family Scorpaenidae] are the first nonnative...
Other resources Circadian rhythms and food entrainment of lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Circadian rhythms are common in many organisms and provide an organism synchrony with its environment, which is vital for survival. Entraining...
Research report The impact of invasive species on tourism

Since the first sightings of the lionfish in the Caribbean, the local marine ecosystems have experienced severe problems due to predation and...
Scientific article Nutritional properties of the invasive lionfish: A delicious and nutritious approach for controlling the invasion

Lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles, are native to the Indo-Pacific and have recently invaded the Western Atlantic Ocean. Strategies for control...
Other resources Cephalopholis cruentata (graysby) behavior and interspecific response to invasive Pterois volitans (lionfish) in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The invasion of Pterois volitans (lionfish) is a serious concern for Caribbean coral reef health. The morphology and behavior of lionfish is novel to...
Scientific article A comparison of eight country plans for the Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish in the Wider Caribbean

Highlights • The Caribbean region is being negatively impacted by the invasive lionfish. • Management efforts by eight Caribbean islands addressing...
Other resources Density-dependent colonization and natural disturbance limit the effectiveness of invasive lionfish culling efforts

Culling can be an effective management tool for reducing populations of invasive species to levels that minimize ecological effects. However, culling...
Other resources The lionfish culling program in Sint Eustatius island, dutch caribbean

Msc. thesis Research questions: → Does the culling program significantly reduce the lionfish population in St Eustatius? The aims of this...
Other resources Using relative brain mass to better understand trophic interactions and phenotypic plasticity of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Understanding predator-prey relationships gives greater insight into coral reef health. A recent study on predator-prey relationships linked the...
Scientific article Rapid invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterios volitans and P.miles) in the Florida Keys, USA: Evidence from multiple pre- and postinvasion data sets

Over the past decade, Indo-Pacific lionfishes, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828), venomous members of the...
Scientific article Recent invasion of a Florida (USA) estuarine system by lionfish Pterois volitans / P. miles

The invasion by lionfish Pterois volitans and P. miles throughout the western Atlantic and Caribbean is emerging as a serious ecological problem....
Other resources Can the lionfish, Pterois spp., differentiate between colors?

Since the invasion of red lionfish, Pterois spp., in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean, many studies have evaluated the predatory behavior of the...
Scientific article Diet choice in a generalist predator, the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles)

Diet choice in marine species is typically derived from indirect methods such as stomach contents and stable isotope analysis, while choice...
Scientific article What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Wary? Effect of Repeated Culling on the Behaviour of an Invasive Predator

Abstract: As a result of being hunted, animals often alter their behaviour in ways that make future encounters with predators less likely. When...
Scientific article Homing decisions reveal lack of risk perception by Caribbean damselfish of invasive lionfish

Prey naïveté, or the failure of prey to recognize non-native predators due to a lack of co-evolutionary history, is thought to underpin the large...
Scientific article Linking removal targets to the ecological effects of invaders: a predictive model and field test

Abstract: Species invasions have a range of negative effects on recipient ecosystems, and many occur at a scale and magnitude that preclude complete...
Scientific article Invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans blow directed jets of water at prey fish

Field and laboratory observations of feeding by invasive Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans were conducted during June through August of 2008,...
Other resources Assessment of local lionfish (Pterois volitans) densities and management efforts in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans is an invasive species that was released along the U.S. Atlantic coast and spread to the Caribbean....
Scientific article Update on geographic spread of invasive lionfishes (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Western North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico

The Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterois volitans [Linnaeus, 1758] and P. miles [Bennett, 1828]: Family Scorpaenidae) are the first nonnative marine...
Scientific article A stage-based matrix population model of invasive lionfish with implications for control

The rapid invasion of lionfish into the Western North Atlantic and Caribbean will undoubtedly affect native reef fishes via processes such as trophic...
Research report Antigonon Leptopus (Corallita) on St Eustatius an Integrated Pest Management approach : Proposal for an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach

Corallita (Antigonon leptopus)) is a vine that is categorized as an invasive species of natural areas (Ernst and Ketner, 2007;; Raju et al., 2001)....
Scientific article Wide-ranging phylogeographic structure of invasive red lionfish in the Western Atlantic and Greater Caribbean

The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is an invasive predatory marine fish that has rapidly expanded its pres- ence in the Western Hemisphere. We...
Scientific article On the relationship between native grouper and invasive lionfish in the Caribbean

Abstract: The Indo-Pacific lionfish, Pterois volitans, has invaded most of the Tropical Western Atlantic in the last few years. The degree to which...
Scientific article Citizen science regarding invasive lionfish in Dutch Caribbean MPAs: Drivers and barriers to participation

Abstract Understanding the drivers and barriers to participation in citizen science initiatives for conservation is important if long-term...
Scientific article Non-native, invasive red lionfish (Pterois volitans), is first recorded in the southern Gulf of Mexico, off the northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

We recorded the first sighting and collection of the non-native, invasive red lionfish (Pterois volitans [Linnaeus, 1758]: Scorpaenidae) in the...
Media BioNews 13 - February 2014

This month’s issue profiles several scientific discoveries with new implications for conservation in the Dutch Caribbean. On St. Eustatius, the first...
Other resources The sensitivity of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, to parasitism in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Invasive species have a history of damaging their invaded ecosystems and in the case of the Pterois volitans invasion to the waters of many Caribbean...
Scientific article Presence of the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans, on the coast of Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean Sea

We report the presence of the invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) in 23 localities of the Venezuelan coast, southeastern Caribbean...
Research report Bioenergetics and Trophic Impacts of Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish
Research report Policy and management options for invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish in U.S. waters
Media Reef Repercussions: The Unintended Consequences of Fish Feeding

Dutch below Many divers have promoted feeding lionfish to eels and sharks as a way to entice these species to start hunting for these fish...
Scientific article Rapid declines in lionfish catches in the Saba Bank lobster and snapper trap fisheries, Dutch Caribbean

Abstract Since its introduction in the Western Atlantic more than 30 years ago, the lionsh (Pterois volitans/miles complex) has spread throughout the...
Research report An Integrated Assessment of the Introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) to the Western Atlantic Ocean
Other resources Utilization of smaller grouper species (Cephalopholis cruentata, Cephalopholis fulva, Epinephelus guttatus, Epinephelus adscensionis) densities as a coral reef health indicator

Serranidae, the grouper family, are common carnivorous fish that inhabit Bonaire’s coral reefs. Smaller grouper species are commonly spotted along...
Other resources Physis IX - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Book of abstracts

Abstracts: TOURISM IN THE CARIBBEAN: CHALLENGES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES & CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS (Sponsored by CORALINA & GCFI) Kyne...
Media Invasive Species Workshop on St. Eustatius

Twenty-five participants attended an informative workshop on invasive species on November 28th and 29th 2017. The Caribbean Netherlands Science...
Research report Status and trends Saba Bank fisheries: 2015

The Saba Bank is a 2200 km2 shallow bank area that lies fully within the Dutch Kingdom’s Caribbean exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters. In recent...
Media BioNews 11 - December 2013

This month’s issue focuses on the Audubon’s Shearwater. Despite its resounding and unique call, this threatened bird often goes unnoticed on our...
Scientific article Invasionsoft: A web-enabled tool for invasive species colonization predictions

Predicting and averting the spread of invasive species is a core focus of resource managers in all ecosystems. Patterns of invasion are difficult to...
Media Special Edition: Transboundary Species

There has been a recent increase in public awareness of environmental issues as the effects of climate change have become ever more noticeable in our...
Other resources STENAPA newsletter January 2007

STENAPA newsletter: including overview of Corallita research
Other resources Physis XV - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Media Statian invasions

This news-item was published in the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute Annual Report 2017 Introduced predators such as cats, dogs, and rats are ...
Research report Genetic diversity and connectivity of populations on the Saba bank

From 19-27 October 2013, IMARES (Wageningen UR) organized a research expedition to the Saba Bank, to investigate the ecological functioning of the...
Media State of Nature in the Caribbean Netherlands: St. Eustatius

Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the three Caribbean Netherlands islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
Media Invasive Alien Species in the Dutch Caribbean

Dutch below More than 210 invasive alien species have been documented in the wild within the Dutch Caribbean. These species can have major...
Media Blue Marine Foundation launches new partnership with Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance

Nederlands, Papiamentu and Papiamento below Ocean charity makes initial grant of $90,000 to marine parks on six Dutch Caribbean islands. Award will...
Other resources Unwelcome guests: Stakeholder perspectives on non-native seagrasses and macroalgal ‘nuisance’ species in Bonaire

Unlike coral reef and mangrove forest ecosystems, public recognition and multiple values of seagrass beds have only but recently been gaining...
Research report Key Elements Towards a Joint Invasive Alien Species Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean

Summary: Recent inventories have documented no less than 211 exotic alien species in the wild for the Dutch Caribbean. These amount to no less than...
Other resources Physis XVIII - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 4

This is the last part of the Marine Scientific Assessment The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 1 click here, for part 2 here &...
Maps and Charts Land cover map of St.Eustatius

The land cover map of St. Eustatius gives a coarse representation of the distribution of forest, shrub, pasture and artificial surface. Invasive...
Media FPNA hosts first coral reef monitoring workshop

Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) is proud to be hosting its first Coral Reef Monitoring Workshop this week, together with trainers – marine...
Maps and Charts Land cover map of Saba

The land cover map of Saba gives a coarse representation of the distribution of forest, shrub, pasture and artificial surface. Invasive species (like...
Media BioNews 23- Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Research report Physis VII - Journal of marine research

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Research report Biodiversity in a globalized world: The journey of exotic species from origin to impact

Abstract Invasive alien species (IAS) are species that have been introduced to locations outside of their distributional range via human transport....
Research report Proceedings of the 2013 AAUS/ESDP Curaçao Joint International Scientific Diving Symposium, October 24-27, 2013, Curaçao

Edited Index (relevant to the Dutch Caribbean Islands) FOREWORD Michael A. Lang, and Martin D.J. Sayer...
Raw data Raw data of lion fish observations on St.Eustatius by STENAPA

Raw data of lion fish observations counts on St.Eustatius. Please contact STENAPA for more information.
Media BioNews 24- Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Media BioNews 59

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Other resources Inventory of Bonaire's coral reefs with particular attention to previously undescribed phenomena illustrating the ongoing decline of Bonaire’s reefs

General description New observations indicating undesirable trends on Bonairean reefs Unusual high abundances of the colonial tunicate Trididemnum ...
Scientific article Crinoid paradox

The status of coral reefs around the world is almost exclusively gauged by data on reef-building corals (live coverage, diversity, prevalence of...
Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 1

This is the first part of the Marine Scientific Assessment The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 2 click here, for part 3 here ...
Research report Physis XI - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XIV - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XIX - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Media 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute

The 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) was held in San Andres, (Colombia) from 5–9 November 2018. This...
Research report Update on the 2012-2018 trends in the St Eustatius fisheries

This report presents an overview of the trends in St Eustatius fisheries based on the fisheries data collected on the island during 2012-2018. The...
Research report Udate on the 2012-2018 trends in the St.Eustatius fisheries

This report presents an overview of the trends in St Eustatius fisheries based on the fisheries data collected on the island during 2012-2018. The...
Research report Use of satellite data for the monitoring of species on Saba and St. Eustatius.

Abstract: On 10 October 2010 Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius became ‘special municipalities’ of the Netherlands, making the Dutch government...
Research report Saving sharks through a fishermen’s agreement

Background. For the Save our Sharks project of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, 7Senses conducted Participatory Action Research on Saba for 7...
Research report An Assessment of the Health and Resilience of Bonaire’s Coral Reefs

Abstract: From July 19-26, 2010, a dedicated team of researchers completed transect surveys on 25 reefs located on the leeward side of Bonaire and...
Other resources State of Nature in the Dutch Caribbean: Saba and the Saba Bank

Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the state of nature for the three Dutch Caribbean islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
Media State of Nature: Bonaire

Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the three Dutch Caribbean islands Bonaire, Saba and St....

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