Lionfish...Okay this is funny

[leadweight]

This month's Alert Diver has an informative article on lionfish. They say that lionfish density in the North American areas so infested is many times that of their native environment due to the lack of natural predators. At best their numbers may be controlled, but there is no way to eliminate this pest.

The lionfish is damaging the reef ecology. All this philosophical banter about buffalo and what man does or does not do is a bunch of happy BS. If lionfish numbers are not reduced, the reef ecology will collapse.

Last week I returned from a Blackbeard's cruise starting in Nassau and going through the Exuma Cays. Of 18 dives, I can't remember any where I did not see a lionfish, and sometimes I saw 5 or six. They are all over the place.

One of the problems facing local authorities is that there are existing bans on spearfishing ranging from it being illegal to own a spear in some places, to restricting spearfishing to simple spears and breathhold diving in others. If these regulations are relaxed to allow unrestricted hunting of lionfish, it will become more difficult to enforce conservation of other species.

I look forward to seeing lionfish on the menu of my favorite Japanese restaurant, my mouth watering over the thought of lionfish sushi. I would rather eat one of these invasive fish, than a grouper any day.

 

[simmonsjr]

I would say this is a bad idea. I am sure there is a safe way to catch every animal, but to just tell people to hunt Lionfish?? Also as String said I do not think this will help with population control in any way.

You are missing the points that they are making.

1. Lionfish is invasive and is wrecking havoc on the native ecological system.
2. Nassau grouper has been known to eat lionfish, but...
3. We are are depleting the population of Nassau grouper because it tastes good.
4. Lionfish also tastes good, so...
5. Let's encourage COMMERCIAL (i.e. not solely recreational) harvesting of this problematic species.
6. At the same time, let's not eat the only thing that eats the lionfish, because...
7. Large scale commercial fishing combined with increasing the population of the only predator that seems to be equipped to prey on the lionfish will create a double-whammy effect on the population of said lionfish.
8. Eating the lionfish is not as big a deal as most posters are making it because they are already doing that in the Pacific.
9. Utilizing common sense such as wearing heavy-duty gloves while preparing your dinner will go a long way towards preventing any "sticky" mishaps.

It may not completely eradicate the invasive lionfish, after all a single female can lay around 30,000 eggs a month,but it will surely go a long ways towards controlling the population and mitigating the potential damage to the places that so many of us love to dive.

Jason

 

[Whatgoesdown]

Well said. Not sure about how mutation will work, though, and you can bet some fish huggers are going to object to screwing around with the DNA. For now I think the best you can do is to try to protect the commercially viable areas and with regards to diving that means the reefs where divers congregate. Do recreational divers hunt them in the Caymans?

The idea is to limit their ability to reproduce and, you're right, people will not like it but the fish huggers have to decide whether we tackle the lionfish or live with the consequences of not doing so.

In Cayman we are required to go through a short course on how to catch and handle lionfish, individuals are then licensed to go out with nets to catch them. If they require spearing the Department of the Environment come out and do that, most of the population are not allowed to own or use spears of any kind.

The irony of the whole situation is that if you catch a fish to eat nobody cares how you kill it. If you catch a fish simply to destroy it you must do it humanely; they are very well cared for until their swim in the narcotic solution!

 

[simmonsjr]

The irony of the whole situation is that if you catch a fish to eat nobody cares how you kill it. If you catch a fish simply to destroy it you must do it humanely; they are very well cared for until their swim in the narcotic solution!

Yeah that is pretty funny, isn't it? Maybe instead of narc'ing them they should change up the program a bit and have the divers bring them to the local restaurants instead.

Oh and by the way, I don't think that you are going to find too may "fish huggers" for the lionfish. Nobody likes to hug a poker .

 

[Guba]

Evidently, I find humor in the strangest places. For example, I find it amusing that the last sentence in the referenced Alert Diver article (which spans five or six pages) mentions that "some sources" claim that lionfish are good to eat.

I think we've come full circle.

 

[Baracuda Smile]

You are missing the points that they are making.

1. Lionfish is invasive and is wrecking havoc on the native ecological system.
2. Nassau grouper has been known to eat lionfish, but...
3. We are are depleting the population of Nassau grouper because it tastes good.
4. Lionfish also tastes good, so...
5. Let's encourage COMMERCIAL (i.e. not solely recreational) harvesting of this problematic species.
6. At the same time, let's not eat the only thing that eats the lionfish, because...
7. Large scale commercial fishing combined with increasing the population of the only predator that seems to be equipped to prey on the lionfish will create a double-whammy effect on the population of said lionfish.
8. Eating the lionfish is not as big a deal as most posters are making it because they are already doing that in the Pacific.
9. Utilizing common sense such as wearing heavy-duty gloves while preparing your dinner will go a long way towards preventing any "sticky" mishaps.

It may not completely eradicate the invasive lionfish, after all a single female can lay around 30,000 eggs a month,but it will surely go a long ways towards controlling the population and mitigating the potential damage to the places that so many of us love to dive.

Jason

Nice for you to summarize and tie things up so nicely. In the western Pacific the lion fish are in balance. So studying the lion fish predators here in Okinawa, Japan might also be helpful. I am all for increasing the numbers of the Atlantic grouper and controlling the numbers of lion fish. But through historic game management practices we can see the mass extermination of a species whether endemic or not is never a good practice.

But for those of you that want to eat lion fish here is your receipt of the day:

Cook Time15 min
Level
Intermediate
Yield
2 to 4 servings
Close Timesrep25 min Inactive Prep-- Cook15 min Total:40 min Recipe Tools:

Ingredients
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
4 tablespoons olive oil
Thaw fish if frozen. Cut off the spines with medical shears. Cut fish into serving-size portions.
1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) lion fish, fillets removed with scales intact
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, thyme, basil or chives
Arugula and Orange Salad, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl combine the butter, garlic, Parmesan, Essence, and olive oil and whisk to combine.

Lay the fillets on the grill, scale side down, and brush generously with the melted butter mixture. Close the grill cover and cook for 3 minutes. Open and brush again with the melted butter mixture. Repeat this process until the flesh is firm and opaque, for a total cooking time of about 12 to 15 minutes for this size fish. The last minute of cooking time, sprinkle with the fresh herbs. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with Arugula and Orange Salad.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Salad:
2 cups arugula, cleaned
2 cups baby spinach, cleaned
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 orange, supremed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large salad bowl, combine the arugula, spinach, red onion, and orange segments.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, orange juice, and vinegar. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil. Whisk until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.