Trigger fish on the menu

[Grateful head]

Was in Cozumel two weeks ago and noticed trigger fish on the menu at one of our favorite restaurants, Casa Cazumil. Wondering if anyone could accurately assess the impact this could have on the local population? I don’t know much about trigger fish populations and status. I do generally always try to eat sustainable seafood. Any thoughts and yes, the menu specifically said “trigger fish.​

 

[tursiops]

https://www.seafoodwatch.org/search?q=triggerfish

 

[Grateful head]

Thanks for the link, I am familiar with it. I guess my question is, more specifically, what species of triggerfish would they be eating in Cozumel and if it’s thought the local population can handle the impact. I asked a few of the local dive masters about it but they really didn’t know. I did not see the owner of the restaurant or I would have asked him.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

I wonder what trigger fish tastes like? The link referenced USA fishing, nothing about Cozumel. This is the first I have heard of triggerfish being served in Cozumel. If it is sustainable I think I would like to try it. I was skeptical of lionfish at first, but they are great to eat. I was bummed last trip that La Perlita was out of lionfish.

 

[Grateful head]

I know when I took a trip to the east side last year and went to Bob Marly’s bar, the waiter was catching triggerfish from shore with fishing one and a hook in between waiting on customers. He had a five gallon bucket ful of triggerfish, but I don’t know what kind.

 

[greeniguana]

Grey triggerfish are delicious.

 

[Vicko]

It's delicious. The ones we get here in the med are fast growing, around a year to sexual maturity so not easy to overfish. The pretty ones you like to look at might grow slower.

 

[Grateful head]

The one thing i do remember one of the dive masters saying was something about the fact that the triggerfish eats “dead or unhealthy” parts of the reef, and that if they were fished out, it could be very detrimental to the overall health of the reef.

 

[tursiops]

By abundance in Cozumel, according to REEG.org, the mostly likely triggerfish to see are the Black Durgeon, the Queen, the Ocean, and the Sargassum. The Sargassum is quite small, not likely to be in restaurants. The Ocean and the Queen are the largest, so that would be my guess, as the easiest to spear....and I'm guessing that is how they are caught.

 

[ACHiPo]

https://www.seafoodwatch.org/search?q=triggerfish

@tursiops this is a great link. Thanks.