DOI: 10.5061/dryad.z08kprrf7
title: Information on marine management policies for invasive lionfish in the Western Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

description: The invasion of lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Western
 Atlantic is perhaps the best studied marine fish invasion to date;
 meanwhile another lionfish invasion is rapidly evolving in the
 Mediterranean. We reviewed lionfish management policies from several
 decades in the Western Atlantic to suggest policy recommendations for the
 Mediterranean. These strategic recommendations are synthesized in our
 corresponding manuscript titled: “Lessons from the Western Atlantic
 lionfish invasion can inform policy and management strategies for their
 expanding invasion in the Mediterranean.” The policy information that we
 collected is included in full in this data repository. For this table,
 information was opportunistically gathered via online searches and
 discussion with professional and personal contacts for the affected
 jurisdictions in both the Western Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.
 Particular attention was devoted to collecting current information on
 policy changes that permitted directed control efforts for lionfish, as
 well as management efforts to develop commercial lionfish fisheries for
 food and other products. Broadly, we found that managers in the Western
 Atlantic often needed to adapt current conservation policies to enable
 lionfish removals in areas where spearfishing with scuba was otherwise
 prohibited for conservation purposes. The risk of fishers abusing these
 policies was mitigated through the use of gear restrictions and engagement
 of scuba divers and other stakeholders in lionfish monitoring, removals,
 and management. Currently, many policies in the Mediterranean generally do
 not permit lionfish removals given current policies that prohibit take of
 marine fishes with the use of scuba and spearfishing, even if these fishes
 are designated as invasive. We note that this data table does not
 represent an exhaustive review, and also that its information is a static
 snapshot of current policies (dated early 2022), and we expect these
 policies to change in the future. In fact, we encourage that any missing
 information or discrepancies noted be sent to lionfish@reef.org. With
 these limitations noted, this data table contains robust information
 regarding policy changes and outreach efforts regarding lionfish across
 broad geographic regions. Our goal is that this may serve as a resource
 for researchers, managers, and stakeholders. Coordinated information
 sharing can assist science-based decision making to better manage impacts
 by lionfish and the myriad of stressors on marine environments and
 fisheries resources.
description: Data for the table was collected through information found in
 manuscripts, government and nonprofit websites and reports and through
 personal communication via email with persons familiar with lionfish
 history and policy in each jurisdiction. Authors researched content
 between September 2021 and January 2022.
description: We note that this data table does not represent an exhaustive
 review or each jurisdiction, and also that its information is a static
 snapshot of current policies (dated early 2022), and we expect these
 policies to change in the future. In fact, we encourage that any missing
 information or discrepancies noted be sent to lionfish@reef.org. With
 these limitations noted, this data table contains robust information
 regarding policy changes and outreach efforts regarding lionfish across
 broad geographic regions. Our goal is that this may serve as a resource
 for researchers, managers, and stakeholders. Data entered by authors is
 denoted by date and initials in each cell. Reference are included within
 the cells.