ABSTRACT

The invasive and predatory lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) has been caught and recorded in areas more than 100 km off the Yucatan coast, as far as Scorpion Reef (22°22´5” N, 89°40´57” W), in the Gulf of Mexico. On August 2020, fishermen from the Dzilam de Bravo community captured and recorded an adult lionfish 338 mm in length and 568 g in weight. This site consists of a marine bottom that is mainly rock formation, where different juvenile fish species gather. The diet is wide and voracious, hence lionfish present many threats to a variety of fry and juvenile fish species; fish that are of commercial fisheries interest. Consequently, the fishing community is concerned since the lionfish specimen was caught nearby known fishing areas. Its presence poses a threat to their livelihood and may affect the catch rate. Therefore, the present study aims to provide early warning signs that could encourage the corresponding authorities to monitor the lionfish population in this area and along the Yucatán coastline.