Lionfish Invades Florida

[Orlando Eric]

I have never dove with them but in my experience venonmous critters are easy to get as they do not flee they stand their ground and mount thier pikes. A short pole spear should work just Jim Dandy on them.

The video shows if you use a plumbers torch on the spines it renders the toxins neutral. The torch can be had for about $10.00 pole spear torch and point should be about $50.00 --- I am going hunting for Lion Fish---

 

[Cave Diver]

Here's one predator:

 

[geokr]

TASTE LIKE CHICKEN--- BOK Bok BOK!!

Okay I will now declare LIONFISH as a required dish to ANY Florida Conch Event! Any new members still have to bring the bottle of Rhum BUT SOMEBODY needs to bring the LionFish dish!

We cooked a bunch up after the last survey and they're not bad at all. You can do anything to this fish that you'd do to something else so blacken them, gratin them, lemon butter them, batter fry them, just eat them!

 

[geokr]

Here's one predator:

How did you do that - put in the YouTube?

 

[geokr]

I have never dove with them but in my experience venonmous critters are easy to get as they do not flee they stand their ground and mount thier pikes. A short pole spear should work just Jim Dandy on them.

The video shows if you use a plumbers torch on the spines it renders the toxins neutral. The torch can be had for about $10.00 pole spear torch and point should be about $50.00 --- I am going hunting for Lion Fish---

Absolutely right - easy to spear. Heat does kill the toxin but haven't tried the torch. Warm water is the only way to reduce the toxin if you get stung - and you will eventually. Bee sting....bee on steroids, maybe.

 

[Orlando Eric]

That looked like a little kid eating his spinach though. I do not think the fish liked the stingy first bite.

So the captain Dan--- where else have they been seen. I am hunting Lion Fish and I am not afraid.. I have got my pole spear.. my butane torch---- Shhhh there is one now..

 

[LowVizWiz]

That looked like a little kid eating his spinach though. I do not think the fish liked the stingy first bite.

So the captain Dan--- where else have they been seen. I am hunting Lion Fish and I am not afraid.. I have got my pole spear.. my butane torch---- Shhhh there is one now..

What you don't see in that video is the frogfish rolling over looking for Rolaids

Here's a handy little map of sightings for you!

Also, the fillets on this puppy could feed a small family!

 

[Cave Diver]

How did you do that - put in the YouTube?

You type in the code with the video ID in between the YT commands.

For this video, the YouTube ID # is _ThtA0vrzMk

So the code [yt]_ThtA0vrzMk[/yt] yields

 

[HowardE]

I was talking to a friend who DM's for South Florida Dive HQ, and he told me that customers reported a Lionfish on the Captain Dan. Earlier last week...

Also reported was a Lionfish on Lighthouse ledge, supposedly by someone at Scubatyme?

Not to mention that our friend staying with us here was teaching a class today, and diving on one of the Oakland Moorings, and people on her boat photographed a lionfish in that area.

These are 3 separate sightings, in 3 different areas, but in relatively close proximity (within a few miles of each other)

As I understand it... The FWC recommends capture of these invasive species of fish, rather than attempting to kill them. I was told that when under stress, the lionfish can release their eggs?

 

[divedude1962]

If people are going to attempt to capture they should be careful. These fish do have venomous spines, so I would reccomend only experienced aquarists tackle it.
I used to see these regularly on Okinawa, beautiful animals.