Anyone ever eaten lionfish?

[Robert Binz]

I learned today that they're a delicacy after seeing someone fishing for them on instagram. My google search says they're delicious.. haha

 

[PatW]

I have eaten them and they are tasty. They have a white, mild tasting flesh.

 

[Billdogg]

IMHO, they're taste and consistency is very much like grouper.


Plus, you get free toothpicks with every fish!

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I need to try one now XD In Bermuda they fish them by the bulk because theyre invasive species, and eating them brings tourism and helps the ecosystem

 

[BlennyTime]

I’ve thought about frying my cleaner shrimp whenever they steal food from my corals :)

Probably not a lot of meat there though.

 

[RyanSweet]

Agree with the others who posted. A light, whitefish taste. Used to do fish fry’s when I lived in Florida with them. Good eats

 

[blasterman]

Arent they still a serious issue off the coast of Florida? Invasive species?

They were trying to train large groupers to eat them.

 

[Billdogg]

My guess is that they are here to stay.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I have a license to hunt these! I’ve killed thousands, eaten hundreds, and sold hundreds more to local restaurants to cook for people. Very tasty fish. Imo best in civiche or grilled with olive oil, lime, and a little salt and pepper. :)

 

[4tanks]

 

[Clowning_Around72]

I’ve thought about frying my cleaner shrimp whenever they steal food from my corals :)

Probably not a lot of meat there though.

I would think if you had like 5 tanks a fee shrimp then maybe it would work.

 

[ReefLab]

Bump

 

[Karen00]

Arent they still a serious issue off the coast of Florida? Invasive species?

They were trying to train large groupers to eat them.

And aren't divers paid to catch them in these areas? Not sure if it's the fish & wildlife department or restaurants that pays them. I saw it on the news (or maybe it was a documentary).

 

[Zionas]

Darn that’s interesting lol. Eating Lionfish sounds pretty exotic to me lol. Gotta say ever since deciding to really get into the hobby this time around I’ve been eating less fish, even food fish lol.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Arent they still a serious issue off the coast of Florida? Invasive species?

They were trying to train large groupers to eat them.

I think the groupers eat them naturally. Although I did hear they were trying to train sharks to go after them. There was also an interesting discussion about selling them back into the aquarium trade in the predator discussion forum a while back.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I think the groupers eat them naturally. Although I did hear they were trying to train sharks to go after them. There was also an interesting discussion about selling them back into the aquarium trade in the predator discussion forum a while back.

I train native species to eat them. We spear them then the snapper/grouper/sharks/eels eat them off the spear like a feeding stick. I clip off the spines before feeding just to be safe but sometimes the snapper get to them before I can clip it. They recognize divers with spears (they’re bright yellow) and will follow you. Nothing more unnerving than a couple 5’ reef sharks tailing you and swimming around your face while you deal with a venomous fish on a stick 5” away from your face. My favorites are when gigantic 6’ green morays swim out in the open to grab the lion off my spear, it’s so cool.

 

[samnaz]

I train native species to eat them. We spear them then the snapper/grouper/sharks/eels eat them off the spear like a feeding stick. I clip off the spines before feeding just to be safe but sometimes the snapper get to them before I can clip it. They recognize divers with spears (they’re bright yellow) and will follow you. Nothing more unnerving than a couple 5’ reef sharks tailing you and swimming around your face while you deal with a venomous fish on a stick 5” away from your face. My favorites are when gigantic 6’ green morays swim out in the open to grab the lion off my spear, it’s so cool.

You are so cool!

 

[esther]

I learned today that they're a delicacy after seeing someone fishing for them on instagram. My google search says they're delicious.. haha

They're one of the most delicious fish I've ever eaten. We ate it in Puerto Rico after we speared them ourselves to rid them in that area.

 

[esther]

I think the groupers eat them naturally. Although I did hear they were trying to train sharks to go after them. There was also an interesting discussion about selling them back into the aquarium trade in the predator discussion forum a while back.

When we were scuba diving in Puerto Rico, they dive masters were telling us that they were trying to entice/train all of the sharks there to eat them because they're so invasive.

 

[slojim]

I have a license to hunt these! I’ve killed thousands, eaten hundreds, and sold hundreds more to local restaurants to cook for people. Very tasty fish. Imo best in civiche or grilled with olive oil, lime, and a little salt and pepper. :)

I see you're in Houston - are you hunting these off the flower garden banks? I saw once they were raffelling licenses and hunting trips. I don't eat out a ton, but my family does like seafood and I can't say I've seen lionfish on the menu. We mostly stick to the southeast side - any tips on who often has it?