Preliminary Insights from the First Trial of Purse Traps for the Removal of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean

The lionfish, Pterois miles is continually increasing its pressure on local fish communities, with other invasive species, along the Mediterranean coasts of Türkiye. Given the rapid invasion of P. volitans to the Western Atlantic, monitoring and mitigation efforts should be implemented in the Mediterranean to prevent severe damage to the ecosystem. This study was the first to use a method developed by Gittings (2017), purse trap experimental fishing gear, developed specifically for lionfish removal was tested in the Mediterranean. The opening performance of the traps was found to be 81.6%. The fishing effectiveness of the traps was assessed through a total of 22 trap deployments along Göcek and Gökova Bay between July 4 and August 31, 2022. No recruitment was observed in the trials, likely due to the limited lionfish population dispersed across completely natural reef areas, where they tend to remain in their habitat. Therefore, trials should be conducted to enrich the methodology by incorporating longer soak times to allow lionfish to become accustomed to the traps or modifications to the traps should be considered, including the integration of natural reef-like structures or alternative attractant materials or mechanisms such as sound, light, and colour.