Porto Seguro Pays $10 Per Lionfish to Combat Invasive Species Threat

The municipality of Porto Seguro, Brazil, is paying $10 for each captured lionfish, which has invaded the region's waters and threatened native species. Nearly 500 of the invasive fish have been removed from the sea far south of Bahia, in about a month after the invasion, and brought to the Fishermen's Colony in areas outside of the Recife de Fora Marine Natural Park. Authorities are attempting to control a venomous predator that reproduces rapidly, threatening local reefs, native fish, crustaceans and fisheries, according to a report by CPG.

Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific and have found favourable conditions to spread throughout the Atlantic Ocean. Combined with their high reproductive capacity and few natural control mechanisms, they have further invaded areas that support their expansion. Moreover, they do not have a specific diet. They can consume various marine organisms, including small fish, crustaceans and other prey. They are also not restricted to a specific habitat and can occupy reefs, rocky areas, mangroves and other marine environments. Not just aquatic members, they also pose a risk to people who come into contact with the fish. An adult lionfish can have up to 18 venomous spines distributed across its fins that function as a defence mechanism. If someone touches, steps on or attempts to handle them, their sting can lead to intense pain and nausea. In 2022, the Department of Health of Ceará recorded a case involving a 24-year-old fisherman. The fisherman stepped on a lionfish and suffered seven stings to the foot, leading to intense pain, fever and convulsions.

Alert for invasion

The alert in Porto Seguro intensified on June 12, 2026, when the first official occurrence of the lionfish was recorded in the Recife de Fora Marine Natural Park.

The alert in Porto Seguro intensified on June 12, 2026, when the first official occurrence of the lionfish was recorded in the Recife de Fora Marine Natural Park. Shortly after, new specimens began to appear, prompting local authorities to expand their response. Now, lionfish are being captured for $10 each in an operation involving local fishermen and the Municipal Department of Environment and Animal Causes, known as Semac. The measure is temporary and is part of actions directed at areas outside the Recife de Fora Marine Natural Park. The strategy is aimed at curbing the numbers before the species is widely established in the area. According to sources, the sooner an invasive species is identified and controlled, the greater are the chances of reducing its impacts. Porto Seguro has developed a Municipal Action Plan to tackle lionfish. The document encompasses measures for monitoring, capture, scientific research, training, and accident prevention. The specimens are not just being removed but also being used as scientific material. The priority is to send them to the Marine Ecology and Conservation Laboratory of the Federal University of Southern Bahia, Lecomar/UFSB. In the laboratory, the animals can be weighed, measured, and analysed. The analyses seek to understand how the invasion is establishing itself along the Bahia coastline. Researchers are investigating diet, genetics, origin, behaviour, and distribution of the captured fish. This information helps identify where the species is concentrating and which native organisms appear in its diet.

Spreading across the region

In August 2026, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation or ICMBio, confirmed lionfish in the Abrolhos Marine National Park

Surprisingly, the presence of this species is not restricted to Porto Seguro. In August 2026, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation or ICMBio, confirmed lionfish in the Abrolhos Marine National Park, also along the Bahia coastline. The area is home to significant biodiversity and South Atlantic coral reef formations. Following the record in Abrolhos, ICMBio reported that it began taking action in partnership with other institutions. The actions include monitoring and management of the species, given the concern over the lionfish’s ability to continue advancing along the Brazilian coast.