LIONHARE

Title: Development of innovative strategies for monitoring, mapping and mitigation of the invasive species lagocephalus (Lagocephalus sceleratus) and lionfish (Pterois sp.)

Funding Source: EP Fisheries

Budget IMBBC: 62,442€

Start / End Date: 2020 - 2023

Web site URL: https://lionhare.hcmr.gr/


Project Progress: 100%

Principal Investigator:

Manolis Mandalakis

Project Members:

Research Directions:

Bioanalysis and biotechnology

Description:

LIONHARE project aims at developing innovative methods and tools for the monitoring, mapping and mitigation of invasive species causing adverse financial and ecological impact. Although research will focus on lagocephalus (Lagocephalus sceleratus) and lionfish (Pterois sp.), the new methods/tools could be widely used for evaluating population trends and combating other harmful marine invasive species. Moreover, the project aims to inform and cooperate with professional and amateur fishermen, in a joint effort to reduce lagocephalus and lionfish populations and prevent and/or mitigate their negative effects on humans, fisheries and biodiversity. Within this framework, the breeding habitats of the species under investigation and of their juveniles will be identified, and innovative targeted actions will be implemented to reduce the reproductive population, as well as the recruitment of juveniles to these habitats. Depending on the effectiveness of the aforementioned actions, the possibility of commercializing the innovative tools that will be developed within the project (e.g. traps, new fishing gear), through patents or other suitable means will be considered. The methodological framework concerning the commercial exploitation of lionfish or part of the lagocephalus population for secondary uses will also be studied.

General Objectives

The objectives of the study include the development of innovative approaches to identify and map the distribution of the invasive silverstripe blaasop and lionfish species in the Greek seas, as well as the evaluation of tools that would allow controlling the size of their populations. These species have invaded the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, and have built up large populations in many areas of the Greek seas, while continuing to spread, with negative impacts on the fisheries and the marine environment. Methods and innovative tools to be developed, would –under the right adjustments- also be used to monitor and address similar questions for other invasive marine species.

SPECIFIC GOALS

  1. Extensive collection of fishery data from professional fishermen regarding the silverstripe blaasop and the lionfish catches.
  2. Investigation of population abundances and expansion rates of lionfish through underwater visual census techniques
  3. Mapping of significant habitats of the silverstripe blaasop and the lionfish
  4. Development of a WEB/GIS platform for the live monitoring of the species movements to facilitate management interventions. The platform shall be accessible to fisheries and management stakeholders through the web.
  5. Development of a process to precisely measure the levels of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in the tissues of the silverstripe blaasop and investigation of the parameters that affect it.
  6. Study of species behaviour.
  7. Development of effective fishing techniques for capturing the studied species, based on their behavioral characteristics.
  8. Test and evaluation of various methods to control the population size of the two species.
  9. Exploration of the potential for commercial exploitation of the invasive species
  10. Public awareness regarding the studied invasive species.
  11. Dissemination of project results to the public and stakeholders.