Mapping Invasive Lionfish and Rabbitfish Spreading Along Mediterranean Coast

A new project to map the spread of two invasive fish species, the Red Sea lionfish (Pterois miles) and the marbled spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus), has been launched along Israel's Mediterranean coast. Both species originated from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal and are now considered invasive in the Mediterranean, unlike their native roles in the Red Sea as predators and algae grazers, respectively.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, in collaboration with researchers from the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute, is spearheading the initiative. They are urging the public to report sightings of these fish using the SeaWatch app. The Red Sea lionfish, first documented in the Mediterranean off Israel in 1991, has seen a rapid increase in sightings since 2012 and is now widespread. It is a voracious predator with few natural enemies in the Mediterranean and reproduces prolifically, potentially laying up to two million eggs annually. It has caused significant ecological damage in other regions, such as the Caribbean.

The marbled spinefoot, first recorded off the coast of Shikmona near Haifa in 2001, is a herbivorous fish that grazes on algae. While it plays a role in regulating algae in its native habitat, its population and distribution in the Mediterranean are less understood. Researchers note a potential recent increase in its numbers, but lack quantitative data to confirm this.

Professor Gil Rilov from the Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute highlighted the significant ecological changes occurring in the Mediterranean, with native species declining and tropical invasive species becoming dominant. He stressed the need for comprehensive data on both predator and herbivore invasive species to understand these shifts and develop coping strategies. The project aims to gather real-time data through public reporting to map the precise distribution and habitat of these invasive fish.