,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #fg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of 
,,representatives  ,february #ac1 #bjac 
,mrs4 ,christensen submitted the        
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,natural          
,resources  ,,resolution  ,expressing   
the need to raise awareness and promote 
capacity building to strategically      
address the lionfish invasion in the    
,atlantic ,ocean4  ,whereas two species 
of venomous lionfish1 the red lionfish  
7,pterois volitans7 and devil firefish  
7,pterois miles71 were likely introduced
 into the ,atlantic ,ocean via the      
,united ,states aquarium trade in the   
#aihjs2 ,whereas lionfish are now       
established throughout the coastal      
southeastern ,united ,states1 the       
,caribbean1 and many regions of the     
,gulf of ,mexico2 ,whereas lionfish may 
live for decades in high densities and  
reproduce at an alarming rate by        
spawning over #b1jjj1jjj eggs per year  
per female2 ,whereas lionfish inhabit   

most coastal marine reef habitats up to 
#a1jjj feet deep2 ,whereas in the       
,atlantic ,ocean1 lionfish consume over 
#ej species of fish1 some of which are  
commercially1 recreationally1 and       
ecologically important2 ,whereas        
lionfish may impact species of concern  
such as the ,nassau grouper and ,warsaw 
grouper1 speckled hind1 striped croaker1
 and key silverside2 ,whereas the       
economic impacts of lionfish may include
 hindering stock rebuilding efforts for 
commercially and recreationally         
important species2 ,whereas economic    
losses for fishermen from lionfish may  
include loss of fishing days when       
painful envenomation occurs and reduced 
catches of some commercial species2     
,whereas predation on herbivores by     
lionfish can result in cascading impacts
 such as increased macroalgae and       
decreased coral biomass which would     
threaten ecosystem integrity and        
ecosystem services provided by coral    
reef ecosystems2 ,whereas lionfish may  

impact ,atlantic ,ocean biodiversity by 
consuming fish species critical to      
maintaining healthy and viable coral    
reef and hard-bottom ecosystems2        
,whereas interactions with other reef   
stressors such as ocean acidification1  
warming temperatures1 and other factors 
could exacerbate lionfish impacts2      
,whereas the destruction of coral reefs 
and increased human health hazards from 
lionfish may have devastating impacts on
 the tourism industry1 which is critical
 to the economies of coastal            
communities2 ,whereas current technology
 suggests lionfish eradication at the   
regional scale is likely not feasible   
given the expansive depths and geography
 of lionfish habitat2 ,whereas control  
plans that support sustained removals of
 lionfish can significantly reduce local
 lionfish densities2 and ,whereas tools 
for local lionfish control in some      
communities may include commercial      
harvesting as a food fish1 harvesting   
juveniles for the aquarium trade1 sport 

tournaments1 and citizen-based removal  
programs3 ,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that 
the ,house of ,representatives--  7#a7  
urges development of a comprehensive1   
scientifically based1 region-wide       
strategy to address the lionfish        
invasion in the ,atlantic ,ocean1 that  
includes actions such as local          
management plans and international      
partnerships2  7#b7 supports scientific 
research and capacity building to       
develop and implement responses to the  
lionfish invasion2 and  7#c7 encourages 
raising public awareness about the      
lionfish invasion across the ,united    
,states and its territories1 especially 
in coastal communities1 through outreach
 and education4