There is a lion on the reef: the political ecology of the lionfish

The lionfish is a beautiful and enigmatic creature that has become a conservation priority for organizations that are committed to protecting coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean. The management of the lionfish is the target of a variety of management strategies, such as the creation of a fishery, the commercialisation of the fish, and culling. This work will interrogate the discourse of framing the lionfish as an ecological threat and analyze the conservation priorities of Reef Check Dominican Republic, which are nested in a regional management plan. I will then critique the Conservation as Development project and the notion of sustainable livelihoods and illustrate how the overall management plan within La Caleta Marine National Park as a co-management strategy between the state and Reef Check DR are part of the projects of nation and empire building. This study will also draw attention to the assemblage of actors who have come together in the name of lionfish management, whose elite position in the conservation movement is accentuated by the power dynamics within the project.