Roombaguy
Contributor
In today's Caymanian Compass
---------------------------
Lionfish roundup an environmental coup
By: Norma Connolly | norma@cfp.ky
11 August 2010
|
A dive shop and a restaurant have teamed up to launch Caymans first lionfish round-up.
Ambassador Divers and Mezza are inviting divers who are certified to cull lionfish by the Department of Environment to join the tournament.
What we are envisioning is that well hold a two-day event over a Saturday and Sunday and there will be prizes for the largest fish and the most fish caught by an individual or team, said Jason Washington of Ambassador Divers.
A date has not yet been set for the new tournament, but organisers say it is likely to happen within the next few weeks and possibly as early as the end of this month.
Tony Spahija, owner of Mezza restaurant on West Bay Road, said the fish caught during the two-day weekend tournament in Cayman will be served up for free to invited guests from the restaurant industry, hotels, government and others on the night of the first day of fishing. Thereafter, lionfish will appear regularly on the Mezza menu.
We want to introduce lionfish as a dish for everyone, said Mr. Spahija, who explained that a weigh-in on the captured lionfish would likely take place in front of his restaurant.
There are about 450 licensed lionfish cullers - and another seven today - in Cayman, he said on Friday, adding that he hoped most would take part in the tournament.
The Department of Environment certified seven staff members of Mezza on Friday morning, to prepare them to catch and handle the fish that the restaurant plans to sell.
Bradley Johnson, a research officer at the Department of Environment, gave the culling certification course at the restaurant and brought with him some lionfish from the DoE freezer to show the staff how to handle the fish they were preparing to cook for customers, without spiking themselves. Even dead, lionfish spines can deliver a nasty injury.
Chef Guy Feliz said eating lionfish is entirely safe because the venom that can injure anyone touching the lionfish is only in the fishs spines, not in the flesh, and all the spines are carefully removed in the kitchen.
The chef said he already had several recipes planned, but he needs the larger lionfish for most recipes. The smaller ones dont have as much flavour, he said.
The organisers of the tournament hope that other restaurants in Cayman will begin buying and serving lionfish, creating a market that will spur more people to catch the fish and cut down on the numbers threatening the Islands reefs.
Only divers who have lionfish culling licences will be allowed to catch fish during the tournament, although those who are not certified can take part as spotters or to buddy with certified cullers, organisers said.
Mr. Washington said the tournament would employ Department of Environment guidelines because they are established and safe.
We hope that this event will raise awareness in Cayman and people will catch these fish and restaurants like Mezza can serve lionfish, he said.
The Marine Conservation Law, which stipulates that divers cannot remove any living species from the water, was amended last year to enable divers to catch lionfish with nets in an effort to control the rapid increase of the population. During the tournament, divers can only use nets to capture lionfish, said Mr. Johnson.
We contacted colleagues on other islands who have done similar tournaments and developed a set of guidelines based on theirs, he said.
Last year, the Bahamas, which has also been hard hit by the invasive, venomous lionfish, held its first lionfish tournament. Cayman has modified guidelines used in the Bahamas to come up with local tournament rules and regulations.
I think this is going to be a great way to get people motivated to get out there and catch lionfish. People get very motivated when they first attend the culling certification class and for the first few weeks afterwards, but then a few weeks afterwards the enthusiasm starts to die down, Mr. Johnson said.
The tournament and its competition aspect is going to be a good incentive and motivator for people to get out there and catch them and will also bring more attention to the issue, he added.
For those who want to take part in the tournament, but are not certified to cull lionfish, the next Department of Environment certification course, which takes about an hour and a half to complete, will be held on 25 August.
Chef Feliz also hopes to give lessons to people in how to prepare and cook lionfish. Theyre really delicious, he said.
Mr. Washington thinks there should be no problem finding large lionfish for the chef. Everyone who dives knows where the big ones are, he said, adding that on a recent dive he made, he saw 30 large lionfish at one site.
Since early 2008 when the first lionfish were spotted in Little Cayman, the invasive species has spread rapidly throughout the Cayman Islands.
The venomous fish have no natural predators in the Caribbean. Researchers have found that a single lionfish can wipe out nearly 80 per cent of small and juvenile fish populations on a patch of coral reef in just five weeks. The fish can spawn 30,000 eggs a month.
To sign up for the lionfish tournament or to get more information, contact Ambassador Divers on 743-5513
cayCompass.com :: Lionfish roundup an environmental coup
---------------------------
Lionfish roundup an environmental coup
By: Norma Connolly | norma@cfp.ky
11 August 2010
|
A dive shop and a restaurant have teamed up to launch Caymans first lionfish round-up.
Ambassador Divers and Mezza are inviting divers who are certified to cull lionfish by the Department of Environment to join the tournament.
What we are envisioning is that well hold a two-day event over a Saturday and Sunday and there will be prizes for the largest fish and the most fish caught by an individual or team, said Jason Washington of Ambassador Divers.
A date has not yet been set for the new tournament, but organisers say it is likely to happen within the next few weeks and possibly as early as the end of this month.
Tony Spahija, owner of Mezza restaurant on West Bay Road, said the fish caught during the two-day weekend tournament in Cayman will be served up for free to invited guests from the restaurant industry, hotels, government and others on the night of the first day of fishing. Thereafter, lionfish will appear regularly on the Mezza menu.
We want to introduce lionfish as a dish for everyone, said Mr. Spahija, who explained that a weigh-in on the captured lionfish would likely take place in front of his restaurant.
There are about 450 licensed lionfish cullers - and another seven today - in Cayman, he said on Friday, adding that he hoped most would take part in the tournament.
The Department of Environment certified seven staff members of Mezza on Friday morning, to prepare them to catch and handle the fish that the restaurant plans to sell.
Bradley Johnson, a research officer at the Department of Environment, gave the culling certification course at the restaurant and brought with him some lionfish from the DoE freezer to show the staff how to handle the fish they were preparing to cook for customers, without spiking themselves. Even dead, lionfish spines can deliver a nasty injury.
Chef Guy Feliz said eating lionfish is entirely safe because the venom that can injure anyone touching the lionfish is only in the fishs spines, not in the flesh, and all the spines are carefully removed in the kitchen.
The chef said he already had several recipes planned, but he needs the larger lionfish for most recipes. The smaller ones dont have as much flavour, he said.
The organisers of the tournament hope that other restaurants in Cayman will begin buying and serving lionfish, creating a market that will spur more people to catch the fish and cut down on the numbers threatening the Islands reefs.
Only divers who have lionfish culling licences will be allowed to catch fish during the tournament, although those who are not certified can take part as spotters or to buddy with certified cullers, organisers said.
Mr. Washington said the tournament would employ Department of Environment guidelines because they are established and safe.
We hope that this event will raise awareness in Cayman and people will catch these fish and restaurants like Mezza can serve lionfish, he said.
The Marine Conservation Law, which stipulates that divers cannot remove any living species from the water, was amended last year to enable divers to catch lionfish with nets in an effort to control the rapid increase of the population. During the tournament, divers can only use nets to capture lionfish, said Mr. Johnson.
We contacted colleagues on other islands who have done similar tournaments and developed a set of guidelines based on theirs, he said.
Last year, the Bahamas, which has also been hard hit by the invasive, venomous lionfish, held its first lionfish tournament. Cayman has modified guidelines used in the Bahamas to come up with local tournament rules and regulations.
I think this is going to be a great way to get people motivated to get out there and catch lionfish. People get very motivated when they first attend the culling certification class and for the first few weeks afterwards, but then a few weeks afterwards the enthusiasm starts to die down, Mr. Johnson said.
The tournament and its competition aspect is going to be a good incentive and motivator for people to get out there and catch them and will also bring more attention to the issue, he added.
For those who want to take part in the tournament, but are not certified to cull lionfish, the next Department of Environment certification course, which takes about an hour and a half to complete, will be held on 25 August.
Chef Feliz also hopes to give lessons to people in how to prepare and cook lionfish. Theyre really delicious, he said.
Mr. Washington thinks there should be no problem finding large lionfish for the chef. Everyone who dives knows where the big ones are, he said, adding that on a recent dive he made, he saw 30 large lionfish at one site.
Since early 2008 when the first lionfish were spotted in Little Cayman, the invasive species has spread rapidly throughout the Cayman Islands.
The venomous fish have no natural predators in the Caribbean. Researchers have found that a single lionfish can wipe out nearly 80 per cent of small and juvenile fish populations on a patch of coral reef in just five weeks. The fish can spawn 30,000 eggs a month.
To sign up for the lionfish tournament or to get more information, contact Ambassador Divers on 743-5513
cayCompass.com :: Lionfish roundup an environmental coup
