Conservation of the Costa Rican, South Caribbean Sea: Balancing a Sustainable Artisanal Trap Fishery with Invasive Lionfish Control

The Costa Rica, Southern Caribbean (CRSC) coastline is a mélange of tropical and marine ecosystems with varied cultures and indigenous people. These ecosystems – many in marine protected areas – include poorly studied coastal lagoons, mangroves, tidal flats, coral reefs, and sea grass communities that are threatened by stressors such as raw sewage, agrochemicals, sedimentation, hydrocarbons and fishing pressure by artisanal fishing communities. The lionfish (Pterois volitans and miles), an invasive reef predator was discovered in the CRSC region in 2009. Lionfish invasions can reduce marine biodiversity and negatively affect coastal economies. The effects of Lionfish on the CRSC region are currently unknown. Local natural resource agencies primarily rely on local knowledge – reinforcing the importance of local communities in ecosystem conservation. In 2011, the Association of Artisanal Fishers Association of South Caribbean Costa Rica was formed to protect the local trap fishery, improve local living conditions, and establish unified decision-making. This paper will discuss the Association’s goals and methods to reduce the population of lionfish and establish a local lionfish export fishery to complement revenues generated primarily through lobster and red snapper sales, while protecting native fish stocks.