I ate Lionfish for the first time last week.

[cnseekatz]

Ate lionfish tacos in Belize. They served them at the hotel restaurant, and I got them every day because they were so good!

 

[Mark Gray]

To eat it - it is the best idea ever in order to solve the invasion of Lion Fish along your southern and eastern coast. Let the fishery industry extinct it in a decade - they will easily do that if there is a demand of the fish and no fishing restrictions.

Sincerely Lasse

This is so true too bad the trawlers cant get them then i think they would go very quickly

 

[cracker]

Ate lionfish tacos in Belize.

That looks really tasty ! Margarita to the left Cold beer & fish tacos !

 

[fishybizzness]

We eat lionfish regularly. Lionfish tacos are delicious!! It tastes alot like grouper but sweeter. You should definitely try it if you get a chance!

 

[Wen]

There was a great place for lionfish in Marathon called Castaways Restaurant & Sushi Bar, not sure if it’s still there after Irma...?
They served lionfish in sushi, fried and sautéed. All were Excellent!
They also had amazing honey buns.
Highly recommended by our whole family.

 

[Davin96]

Reef.org has a lot of information on the invasion and them. They also sell a cook book. The reason they're not the cheapest is the collection methods. For commercial spearfishermen to make any money off of them it takes a lot of effort and risk. Much easier to fill the boat with grouper and snapper while spearing than lions. Currently a new federally back study is starting to test new types of traps for easier harvesting. They'll never be irradicated no matter how many we kill strictly based off their life history and breeding techniques. But thats not to say they cant be kept in check. As others have said if you get the chance try it out, its very good and can be prepared a lot of different ways.
Always fun to walk into a lfs and see a bunch of lionfish sold at their usual prices and say that you've killed hundreds of them :P

 

[Mark Gray]

I am headed to Clearwater beach next week I will see if I can find some

 

[Chef Tommy]

I am headed to Clearwater beach next week I will see if I can find some

Lookup Rumfish Grill on St Pete Beach. Not too far from Clearwater at all. Call ahead and they might be able to order some. Justin Harry is the Executive Chef of resort, great guy & chef who might be able to assist in your visit. Really loved cheffing there with him!

 

[Lasse]

They'll never be irradicated no matter how many we kill strictly based off their life history and breeding techniques.

How many fish species have I heard that about? As I understand - it is a delicate fish to eat. It will surly establish itself at the dinner table. The demand will rise - the catch will rise. The population will decrease- the catch will decrease - the demand still there - the price will rise and so on in a classic matter. Maybe not total eradication but surly to a level there it is no danger for the ecosystem at most locations. But it surly must be established as a food fish before this will happens. And when it happens - concern about protection of a valuable fishery will rise instead of concern of ecosystems. In Lake Victoria - it was only around 30 years between believing that the Nile Perch was a major ecological catastrophe to the view that it is a declining resource for the people around the lake and have to be protected. Been there - seen that. If you notice a slight irony over humanity in what I'm writing - you're right :)

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Forsaken77]

I can't eat an animal that I had as a pet. Just a thing with me. It's like eating dog to me. I'm obviously not a farmer, lol. I also couldn't eat Triggerfish, but they do it like crazy in Hawaii.

I wonder why they are not invasive or problematic in their natural habitat. I mean... What predator eats them where they originally came from?

I completely understand their destructive behavior and how it's a huge problem in, and around, Florida. But they are wonderful pets and have a ton of personality for a fish. It's a shame they've become a problem species because they are very beautiful and unique animals.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I can't eat an animal that I had as a pet. Just a thing with me. It's like eating dog to me. I'm obviously not a farmer, lol. I also couldn't eat Triggerfish, but they do it like crazy in Hawaii.

I wonder why they are not invasive or problematic in their natural habitat. I mean... What predator eats them where they originally came from?

I completely understand their destructive behavior and how it's a huge problem in, and around, Florida. But they are wonderful pets and have a ton of personality for a fish. It's a shame they've become a problem species because they are very beautiful and unique animals.

I'm sorry, I love my reef tank and all the critters in it, but I don't consider any of them to hold a candle to being as 'special' to me as my cat or a dog. Just not the same thing at all, IMHO.

Natural predators in the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea that are known to eat lionfish include sharks, cornetfish, grouper, large eels, frogfish and other scorpionfish. There is speculation that large snapper and some species of trigger fish eat lionfish in their native ranges as well.

 

[Mark Gray]

Lookup Rumfish Grill on St Pete Beach. Not too far from Clearwater at all. Call ahead and they might be able to order some. Justin Harry is the Executive Chef of resort, great guy & chef who might be able to assist in your visit. Really loved cheffing there with him!

I will I am actually going to St Pete anyway that's where I have to pick up my wsister in law she doesn't like to fly. I went through a hurricane in Clearwater was stuck there for almost a week, can't remember what year, ( hell getting old) but thought I might go back to clearwater to the same place I stayed during the hurricane but maybe I will try St Pete

 

[KMench]

Went to Trinidad & Tobago last year, it was on the menu at a couple places there. It is a good meal that you can feel good about! :)

 

[Chef Tommy]

I will I am actually going to St Pete anyway that's where I have to pick up my wsister in law she doesn't like to fly. I went through a hurricane in Clearwater was stuck there for almost a week, can't remember what year, ( hell getting old) but thought I might go back to clearwater to the same place I stayed during the hurricane but maybe I will try St Pete

It's The Tradewinds Resort that the restaurant is at. Forgot to mention that. Wonderful place especially for families.

 

[Davin96]

How many fish species have I heard that about? As I understand - it is a delicate fish to eat. It will surly establish itself at the dinner table. The demand will rise - the catch will rise. The population will decrease- the catch will decrease - the demand still there - the price will rise and so on in a classic matter. Maybe not total eradication but surly to a level there it is no danger for the ecosystem at most locations. But it surly must be established as a food fish before this will happens. And when it happens - concern about protection of a valuable fishery will rise instead of concern of ecosystems. In Lake Victoria - it was only around 30 years between believing that the Nile Perch was a major ecological catastrophe to the view that it is a declining resource for the people around the lake and have to be protected. Been there - seen that. If you notice a slight irony over humanity in what I'm writing - you're right :)

Sincerely Lasse

so lionfish reach sexual maturity within the first couple years of their life, combine that with their ability to spawn numerous times a year unlike a lot of over fished species, and their spawn strategy which is a broadcast spawning, meaning they release millions of eggs each spawn which are then at the mercy of the ocean currents. this is exactly how they became such a problem so fast. they were first noticed in the western atlantic and carribbean in the 90s and in only a couple decades are found everywhere in vast numbers. Next add to the problem that they are found everywhere from shallow water to hundreds of feet and eat just about anything they can fit in their mouth. No natural predators like in the indo pacific, although animals are starting to learn to eat them, and you have the perfect storm for their invasion. So like i said i do not think we will ever get them down to numbers deemed reasonably controlled except in certain areas of heavy culling.

 

[samnaz]

I'm vegan and miss eating fish terribly. I'd only consider eating lionfish but unfortunately I live in Michigan. When I visit my grandma in Tampa area I search high and low for a place that sells lionfish. Have yet to find any.

Anyone know of a place that I can get lionfish in Tampa area?

 

[samnaz]

A local Restaurant here in central Florida was one of the first places that I saw them on the menu. They look crazy when served up, but they are delish. I would say that all reefers that eat fish should spread the word to their friends to try it. The more demand for them could likely have a better and quicker result in trying to irradiate them from the reefs. Also, please spread the word to anyone you know that might be considering tossing their non wanted fish back into the rivers or oceans. If the fish don't belong there, do not just toss them there. Those of us that live in florida know all about non native things being introduced to our areas, Love bugs come to mind for me. I sure would love to slap the idiot that brought them here...

where in FL did you find them on the menu?