The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than the rest of the Atlantic. The rapidly changing temperatures invite fish species, typically see in more southern, warmer waters, into the Gulf. Lionfish, an invasive species native to the Indo-pacific, have been plaguing the warm seas of Florida and the Caribbean since the mid-eighties. However, in the last fifteen years, global warming has allowed them to expand their territory farther up the Atlantic coast every year. This thesis explores the impending arrival of lionfish in the Gulf of Maine, examines their potential impacts, and discuss possible mitigation strategies.

Anne Trapp