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Lionfish invasion is getting out of hand.

D

divinnole

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Mar 29, 2002
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Diving off the coast of Panama City I saw my first lionfish about 5 years ago. I saw a total of 4 that entire season and killed all 4 of them. Now it is not uncommon the see 100s every dive trip. Most of the divers I know will dedicate some of their dives each month to doing nothing but killing the fish. However we are losing ground rapidly. This past Saturday I dove one of the prettiest reefs anywhere in the gulf waters. I had dove it 2 weeks ago and there were literally 100s of lionfish on it. Saturday I went there with the specific goal of killing all of the lion fish I could. I killed about 50 and did not even make a dent in them.

On reefs both natural and artificial where the invasion has become real bad the grouper, snapper, triggers and other game fish are disappearing. Places where we routinely use to find 8-10 lobster a dive you can't find a lobster any longer. There is no known natural predator for them in the gulf. I have actually witnessed a small lionfish swim into a hole with a toad fish, which will generally eat anything, the toadfish grabbed the fish but quickly spit him back out. They are wiping out the juvenile fish, destroying soft corals and totally screwing up the ecosystem. A FWC biologist was diving with us a few weeks back and told us they are seeing the fish grow to sizes never seen anywhere else. She felt it is because there is no natural enemies in these waters and an abundant supply of food. IMO from watching the effects of both, they are doing more ecological damage than the BP oil spill did.

So if you are an experience diver who is comfortable using a hand sling type spear get one with a 3 prong tip and grind the barbs off then take some of your dives to kill this species. Unless you really know what your are doing I would not suggest using a speargun as taking the fish off would be very difficult. Be very careful, the sting hurts like crap if you get hit by one of them. The meat is pretty good too and not that hard to clean.

First hand experience story. Back in April myself and a dive buddy dove one of our favorite spots and found it over run with lionfish. We did not see any snapper, grouper, lobster or any other typical reef game fish. We got a couple of other divers and went back the next week with the intention of killing all the lionfish we could. Between the 4 of us we killed over 300. A month later we went back and saw less than 10 which we killed. The game fish were back and we even found some lobster.

Some of us are trying to get the state come up with an incentive program to encourage more divers to specifically target these fish. We know we will never get rid of them totally but we think we can somewhat control the population.
 
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FWC started a pilot incentive program back in June. Where divers can harvest one lobster per person over the limit when harvesting 10 or more lionfish. Its a start. Maybe it will start to encourage divers to take more lionfish and if so then maybe they will increase the incentive program.
 
I'm not afraid to say it - I'm PRO invasive species.

If it weren't for invasive species, most of us would still be living in Europe. But no, our forefathers had the spirit to go out and conquer new ecosystems (or head over later on once everything was settled). They lived off the fat of the new land, and took advantage of the unprepared indigenous people and animals.

So, go on you Lionfish, you Burmese Pythons, you Chinese Walking Snakeheads! What you're doing is not only the "circle of life", the "survival of the fittest", the "natural order of things", etc, but it's also AMERICAN!!!!!!

It's how we did it, and it made us into the best country in the world. So you uninvited species go out and take whatever you can, from whomever you want, and feel good about what you're doing!

tumblr_m78bbeaMxV1rsgn9no1_r1_500.gif
 
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I wish I still lived in Florida. I'd going lion fish hunting as often as possible. It's lots of fun and the meat is pretty good. My suggestion is if you are going to do it get yourself some really nice gloves.
 
NDallasRuss said:
I'm not afraid to say it - I'm PRO invasive species.

If it weren't for invasive species, most of us would still be living in Europe. But no, our forefathers had the spirit to go out and conquer new ecosystems (or head over later on once everything was settled). They lived off the fat of the new land, and took advantage of the unprepared indigenous people and animals.

So, go on you Lionfish, you Burmese Pythons, you Chinese Walking Snakeheads! What you're doing is not only the "circle of life", the "survival of the fittest", the "natural order of things", etc, but it's also AMERICAN!!!!!!

It's how we did it, and it made us into the best country in the world. So you uninvited species go out and take whatever you can, from whomever you want, and feel good about what you're doing!

tumblr_m78bbeaMxV1rsgn9no1_r1_500.gif
Click to expand...
Yeah, that worked out pretty good for the indigenous population.
 
NDallasRuss said:
I'm not afraid to say it - I'm PRO invasive species.

If it weren't for invasive species, most of us would still be living in Europe. But no, our forefathers had the spirit to go out and conquer new ecosystems (or head over later on once everything was settled). They lived off the fat of the new land, and took advantage of the unprepared indigenous people and animals.

So, go on you Lionfish, you Burmese Pythons, you Chinese Walking Snakeheads! What you're doing is not only the "circle of life", the "survival of the fittest", the "natural order of things", etc, but it's also AMERICAN!!!!!!

It's how we did it, and it made us into the best country in the world. So you uninvited species go out and take whatever you can, from whomever you want, and feel good about what you're doing!

tumblr_m78bbeaMxV1rsgn9no1_r1_500.gif
Click to expand...

Someone forgot their sarcasm emoticon.
 
crooked_rain said:
Are they comparable to other fish in taste/texture?
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Like I said it is not one of my favorites but at the same time it is not bad either. Very white meat, but a very soft texture. I have always filleted and grilled the fish but a friend was telling me Saturday he cuts the spines then clean and scales it like a bream, then either fries or grills it. He said it has a totally different flavor doing it that way.
 
KitingHigh said:
Yeah, that worked out pretty good for the indigenous population.
Click to expand...
No, it worked out terribly for the indigenous population - because they were weak, and fat, and lazy. They were outworked and outhustled by the new, invading species.

But even those indigenous species were once the invading hoard! Before the Asians crossed over the land bridge into North America and became the first human inhabitants on this continent, all of the animals didn't have a single thing to worry about, except for being eaten by each other. But then, all of a sudden, they did. Now, instead of only worrying about other predator animals, they also had to worry about being shot by an arrow, or hit by a rock, or whatever. Was it any more fair to them, then it is now for the little fishes being run out of the safety of the corals by the Lionfish?

Everything came from somewhere, so who are we to be the ones to decide when that should no longer be the case?

Perhaps I can start a non-profit to protect all of the new species from the xenophobic animal lovers! Some animals want to stick around here for a better life, and you people want to kill them for it? Or worse yet, they didn't even want to bring here, but they were brought here against their will (They didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on them!) and you want to hold it against them anyway?!

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

11242014_liberty8201_c0-81-958-639_s561x327.jpg
 
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I'll admit I had to lookup facts on Lionfish. Here's the solution - get the Whole Foods-type hippies involved
http://lionfish.co/7-interesting-facts-about-the-invasive-lionfish-you-might-not-know/

Yes, in fact eating lionfish is healthier than eating snapper or grouper because lionfish have higher concentration of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, scoring above snapper and grouper as well as tilapia, Bluefin tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo and other table-fish commonly served in restaurants. Lionfish are also very low in heavy metals like mercury and lead!​
 
Zeek99 said:
FWC started a pilot incentive program back in June. Where divers can harvest one lobster per person over the limit when harvesting 10 or more lionfish. Its a start. Maybe it will start to encourage divers to take more lionfish and if so then maybe they will increase the incentive program.
Click to expand...

That is a good step but not really an incentive in the panhandle waters. The most prevalent lobster we have is the shovel nose which has no limit or season,(can't keep egg bearing females). The spiny lobster which the rule is made for is not a common find in the panhandle areas. I have never seen more than 8 for an entire boat so an extra one is not going to drive the divers to pursue them. I would like to see it made easy and cheap for divers to get a commercial license for lion fish only to sell to the markets or directly to restaurants.
 
crooked_rain said:
Are they edible?
Click to expand...

They're one of the tastiest fish out there period, equivalent to Sea perch, gurnard, the rockfish in California and Rock cod to which lionfish are all related. It's a very mild white fish that is "buttery" (ie filled with healthy fat). They should market it as "American sea perch" and it would go over gangbusters. While in New Zealand my wife and I caught a literal ton of the sea perch and we liked them better than the blue cod, tai snapper, red cod and "grouper" we also caught. Maybe not quite so much as the rock lobster. :)
 
NDallasRuss said:
No, it worked out terribly for the indigenous population - because they were weak, and fat, and lazy. They were outworked and outhustled by the new, invading species.

But even those indigenous species were once the invading hoard! Before the Asians crossed over the land bridge into North America and became the first human inhabitants on this continent, all of the animals didn't have a single thing to worry about, except for being eaten by each other. But then, all of a sudden, they did. Now, instead of only worrying about other predator animals, they also had to worry about being shot by an arrow, or hit by a rock, or whatever. Was it any more fair to them, then it is now for the little fishes being run out of the safety of the corals by the Lionfish?

Everything came from somewhere, so who are we to be the ones to decide when that should no longer be the case?

Perhaps I can start a non-profit to protect all of the new species from the xenophobic animal lovers! Some animals want to stick around here for a better life, and you people want to kill them for it? Or worse yet, they didn't even want to bring here, but they were brought here against their will (They didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on them!) and you want to hold it against them anyway?!

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

11242014_liberty8201_c0-81-958-639_s561x327.jpg
Click to expand...

slow-clap.gif
 
FreeFlyNole said:
I've been eating it a lot lately. Good and cheap firm white fish.

Here it is lightly breaded and sauteed with a white wine and caper sauce. With vegan mac and "cheese" and an arugula salad.

IMG_0049_zpsq76qbwcz.jpg
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I don't want to start a new thread. I remember you having a TDI. Did you see the whole VW using software to fake the emission tests fiasco? Sounds like VW is going to get hammered $$$.

The fish looks great. Can restaurants buy and put the fish on their menus?
 
crooked_rain said:
I don't want to start a new thread. I remember you having a TDI. Did you see the whole VW using software to fake the emission tests fiasco? Sounds like VW is going to get hammered $$$.

The fish looks great. Can restaurants buy and put the fish on their menus?
Click to expand...


Yea I still have a TDI, and I saw that. I hope they go easy on them. The fines they are talking about are ridiculous. So high if I were VW I'd refuse to pay them and just pull sales out of the US. They still have a huge world market and don't need our business.
 
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If we combined our efforts we can heat up the planet just enough to boil theses little @#$$ers.

or


giphy.gif
 
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FreeFlyNole said:
Yea I still have a TDI, and I saw that. I hope they go easy on them. The fines they are talking about are ridiculous. So high if I were VW I'd refuse to pay them and just pull sales out of the US. They still have a huge world market and don't need our business.
Click to expand...

Not just the fines, but, I would think they are susceptible to a class action suit from owners. If you accept the software fix, you lose the mpg you thought you were getting with purchase, etc.
 
crooked_rain said:
Not just the fines, but, I would think they are susceptible to a class action suit from owners. If you accept the software fix, you lose the mpg you thought you were getting with purchase, etc.
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Yeah, if I had one, I wouldn't take it in to get it reprogrammed.
 
FSUTribe76 said:
They're one of the tastiest fish out there period, equivalent to Sea perch, gurnard, the rockfish in California and Rock cod to which lionfish are all related. It's a very mild white fish that is "buttery" (ie filled with healthy fat). They should market it as "American sea perch" and it would go over gangbusters. While in New Zealand my wife and I caught a literal ton of the sea perch and we liked them better than the blue cod, tai snapper, red cod and "grouper" we also caught. Maybe not quite so much as the rock lobster. :)
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You caught 2,000 pounds of sea perch?
 
FreeFlyNole said:
I've been eating it a lot lately. Good and cheap firm white fish.
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Where do you buy it? I haven't looked specifically for it, but never recall seeing it in a store. If it's good, the stores start carrying and people start eating more, the problem will work itself out.
 
Gonolz said:
Where do you buy it? I haven't looked specifically for it, but never recall seeing it in a store. If it's good, the stores start carrying and people start eating more, the problem will work itself out.
Click to expand...

I live in a town that has 4 very good little individually owned fish markets, Moon's, Direct Seafood, Clayton's and Atlantic Fish Market. I typically get it at Moon's or Clayton's. I pay like $8-9 a pound most of the time. It's really very good, and I get it super fresh when the eyes are still very clear.
 
FreeFlyNole said:
I live in a town that has 4 very good little individually owned fish markets, Moon's, Direct Seafood, Clayton's and Atlantic Fish Market. I typically get it at Moon's or Clayton's. I pay like $8-9 a pound most of the time. It's really very good, and I get it super fresh when the eyes are still very clear.
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If they're selling at $8-9/lb seems like you could make a few bucks selling these to the fish markets if they're as plentiful as it sounds.
 
There is a local place that sells it, haven't had it yet, but looking forward to it.
froiled-lionfish-grills.jpg
 
FreeFlyNole said:
I live in a town that has 4 very good little individually owned fish markets, Moon's, Direct Seafood, Clayton's and Atlantic Fish Market. I typically get it at Moon's or Clayton's. I pay like $8-9 a pound most of the time. It's really very good, and I get it super fresh when the eyes are still very clear.
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Have you been to Indialantic Seafood Co? I usually use Direct, but have driven by this place so many times I've kinda forgotten it's there.
 
Divin, I cook them all the time over here in PC. I will take them. I know your son and he's brought me some before. It is a easy sell on my menu. I have a few other divers who bring it to me, and on occasion it'll show up from tarpon docks.

Just a couple weeks ago I smoked some and folded the meat into hushpuppy batter as a pre course on my market menu. I've made ceviche, fried whole, plancha, filet, and fry into fish and chips. The only thing I have a hard time doing is grilling the filets because it's very delicate meat. Other than that It's really versatile. It has very flaky white meat after cooked which tends to fit well with people who don't like seafood. I've been cooking it for a couple years now and I always sell out when I get it. Not just because it's a novelty, but because it really does taste good.
 
PoopandBoogers said:
Have you been to Indialantic Seafood Co? I usually use Direct, but have driven by this place so many times I've kinda forgotten it's there.
Click to expand...

Yea, the Zabinski's own it, Pete Zabinski Sr is my Urologist. They are more expensive than the others, but they have primo quality stuff. You pay for it though. That's what I meant instead of Atlantic.
 
FreeFlyNole said:
I live in a town that has 4 very good little individually owned fish markets, Moon's, Direct Seafood, Clayton's and Atlantic Fish Market. I typically get it at Moon's or Clayton's. I pay like $8-9 a pound most of the time. It's really very good, and I get it super fresh when the eyes are still very clear.
Click to expand...

I checked with the local seafood market I go to sometimes, Publix and a Whole Foods type market near me. None had it. If anyone knows of a place in Pinellas or Tampa that carries it, please let me know. I love trying new foods and it sounds like good eating.
 
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