Why don't we eat Lion Fish

[Dave Dillehay]

Today I suggested that my Former dive shop, Aldora, try to get the National Park, then the Port Captain, then the Navy, to organize an effort to wipe out the Lion Fish that are most certainly wiping out our reef fish populations. IT would be simple: Authorize a group of dive shops and DMs to go out and cull the certainly herd of Lion Fish that will be decimating our wonderful reefs.

It might be too much to get them to donate the food to the people, but they are delicious, and no matter who eats them—the better.

Dave Dillehay

 

[rick00001967]

i eat them. yummmmm

 

[Snoweman]

The only obstacle is depth. You're not going to get the ones that are hanging out way deep (300+ feet). The fricking things are the fire ants of the Caribbean/Atlantic.

 

[ggunn]

The only obstacle is depth. You're not going to get the ones that are hanging out way deep (300+ feet). The fricking things are the fire ants of the Caribbean/Atlantic.

That isn't Dave's point. He wants to keep clearing them out of the areas where we used to dive and hope to dive again before too terribly long. Hope springs eternal.

 

[Snoweman]

That isn't Dave's point. He wants to keep clearing them out of the areas where we used to dive and hope to dive again before too terribly long. Hope springs eternal.

I've dove in the park with shops that are taking lionfish in the park. What's different now?

 

[ggunn]

I've dove in the park with shops that are taking lionfish in the park. What's different now?

No one is diving recreationally now and the lionfish populations are probably surging.

 

[dorsal]

In the way back I had one in my salt aquarium, and joked about eating it for dinner when he got too playful. It wasn’t until I had lionfish in the Caribbean that I realized what I was missing. Yum!

and no, I never did eat him. He got donated to a friend with a larger tank.

 

[dbernard01]

Today I suggested that my Former dive shop, Aldora, try to get the National Park, then the Port Captain, then the Navy, to organize an effort to wipe out the Lion Fish that are most certainly wiping out our reef fish populations. IT would be simple: Authorize a group of dive shops and DMs to go out and cull the certainly herd of Lion Fish that will be decimating our wonderful reefs.

It might be too much to get them to donate the food to the people, but they are delicious, and no matter who eats them—the better.

Dave Dillehay

I'll be there in July - willing to help! Last time we were at La Perlita (sp?) they were out of Lion Fish! Wasn't the end of the world thought, it forced me to try something else on their menu.

 

[NDL_Diver]

I think the biggest challange would be the fuel cost. I figure a run to the Park and back on some boats would be more than the fish are worth.

Aldora with twin 115hp probably could use 20 gal of fuel for a southern park roundtrip.

Using a small boat with a small motor may make it more economical, but without paying customers to offset fuel cost it is tough.

It could lead to poaching.

 

[Mark IV]

I think the biggest challange would be the fuel cost. I figure a run to the Park and back on some boats would be more than the fish are worth. .

If the shops were inclined to cooperate, they could put the word out to local divers, that they could dive for free on their regular dive trips (space available,of course), if the divers were hunting lionfish. I know I would've been up for that, on days I wasn't working. I used to regularly hop on one of our afternoon trips to go do a deep dive, or take photos, or hunt for antique bottles in front of town, so I'm thinking local DM's and instructors might jump at the chance to scarf up some lionfish that they could sell, or take home and eat themselves, if regular trips to the reefs were provided.
Also, if divers are already allowed to harvest lionfish in the park, I don't think you'd need any permission or help from the local government or the navy. There's no downside here, it'll just take someone to organize shop cooperation (someone like Dave, who's well known, and knows most of the local players).
Thoughts?