Trigger fish on the menu

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When I lived in Jamaica back in the 70s triggerfish were a staple diet item for me, prepared at a Jamaican roadside food bus, sauteed in grease with the skin on, and fabulously delicious. Maybe the best fish I've ever tasted.
 
Gray triggers which school above or off the reefs are very tasty and also make excellent Cerviche. In US waters they are considered a sustainable population for fishing.
 
Surprised to see the Queens listed as "near threatened", they are all over, big, beautiful and really mean. I've never heard of them as a food fish. I've seen a lot of greys in Cozumel as well, lots of people fish for lions, so if it isn't illegal, it would be awfully tempting to spear a trigger if one swam by. If you are concerned about what NOAA says, you might want to find out if it is a queen.

NOAA and Monterey Bay have opposite recommendations for American Lobster. I'd take anything from either of these with a grain of salt - too much money and politics involved.
 
I was bummed last trip that La Perlita was out of lionfish.
If you ever need an alternative to La Perlita for lionfish on the island, try Blue Angel. They serve it sauteed in a brown butter sauce with some capers, REALLY good.
 
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.
They bite aggressively and caught on hook and line
 
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I have never eaten triggerfish but I have met a few underwater that I would have happily consumed!
 
I have never eaten triggerfish but I have met a few underwater that I would have happily consumed!
At least two times, a triggrefish tried to eat me :eek:
 
Th
At least two times, a triggrefish tried to eat me :eek:
The Queens can be vicious little ba$tards. When trying to keep a Lionfish for lunch I have been swarmed.
 
If you ever need an alternative to La Perlita for lionfish on the island, try Blue Angel. They serve it sauteed in a brown butter sauce with some capers, REALLY good.
It is indeed, when they have it. Lionfish is not always available there.
 

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