Hi leo - Lionfishes been here for at least a year and getting more prevalent. The first advisory from the Fisheries dept was to capture for them for DNA testing. The latest is now to kill. Because of the poisionous nature all the fishermen that I've spoken to, are refusing to eat them. I am trying to collect some recipes for them. What I would really like though, is instructions on how to prepare the fish for cooking i.e. navigate all the spines safely.
We have no natural predators to keep the lionfish in check, so our already dangerously low fish stock is definitely at risk. Maybe, the noise some of us have been making, is finally seeping through. Fisheries have recently announced some measures - banning spearfishing by Mar. 2010, incease in fishpot mesh size by Jul. 2010, total ban on lobsters during breeding season, establishment of no take zones, etc. Hopefully this time, this is not just another politician sounding off. But then, no mention was made of policing/enforcing.