Fishers have caught at least 440 invasive lionfish off the coast of Porto Seguro in northeastern Brazil in recent weeks. The local government paid fishers to harvest the fish in an attempt to curb the rapid spread of a species that can decimate native fish stocks, Mariana Martins writes for Mongabay Brasil.
Lionfish (Pterois volitans), which are native to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, have no natural predators along Brazil’s coastline and are preying upon the young of local species. The fish have already damaged coral reef ecosystems in the North Atlantic, including the Caribbean. Now they have also reportedly reached the Abrolhos reefs, the largest and richest reef system in the South Atlantic.
“By preying on juveniles of commercially exploited species, there is a depletion of fish populations,” Carlos Hackradt, biologist and coordinator of the Marine Ecology and Conservation Laboratory at the Federal University of Southern Bahia, told Martins. “This brings serious consequences for the ecosystem, affects the fishing economy and harms tourism on degraded reefs.”
Abrolhos is home to mushroom-shaped coral structures, locally known as chapeirões, and supports at least 90 coral and 266 fish species, including the goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) and blue parrotfish (Scarus coeruleus), which are nationally listed as critically endangered and endangered, respectively. Abrolhos is also the main breeding and nursing ground for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Western South Atlantic.
While the presence of lionfish there has been confirmed, their extent has not yet been measured.
“It has only just happened,” Hackradt said. “We are gathering the first information in the far south [where the reef system is located] to understand the severity and indicate to the authorities which measures are feasible.”
Lionfish reproduce very quickly, and the species may still move further south down Brazil’s coast and into the waters of other Brazilian states, he said.
The lionfish invasion was first detected near Porto Seguro in June 2026. The environment department of the municipality quickly joined forces with the local fishing association, Colônia Z-22, to fight it.
Since August 2026, the city government has been paying 10 Brazilian reais ($1.90) for every lionfish caught and delivered to Colônia Z-22. Researchers at the Federal University of Southern Bahia have analyzed the stomach contents of 430 of them to understand their impact on local marine life.
Researchers are also studying how viable the lionfish are for human consumption. They are considered a delicacy in some regions, but the species stores a venomous substance in its glands, connected to the 18 spines along its back. The venom doesn’t reach the animal’s flesh but it requires careful preparation to be safe to eat.
Banner image: Lionfish captured off the coast of Porto Seguro in Bahia state, northeastern Brazil. Image courtesy of Lecomar/UFSB.
