Annoying-But-Tasty Lionfish Targeted In 7th Annual Challenge

Clearwater FL

20 May, 2022

1:12 PM

Description

FLORIDA — They may look pretty, but the lionfish is the scourge of waters surrounding Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has designated lionfish an invasive species that can have a potential negative impact on native wildlife and habitats. Because they're a top predator competing for food and space in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, scientists fear the lionfish are killing off helpful species such as the equally pretty algae-eating parrotfish. The parrotfish controls the growth of seawood that can suffocate reefs. Throughout Florida waters, the lionfish population is growing at a staggering rate. They reproduce all year with each mature female lionfish releasing roughly 2 million eggs a year. And, unfortunately, they have no known predators. The FWC hosts the annual Lionfish Challenge each year to control the lionfish population, encouraging divers, anglers and commercial fishermen to remove as many lionfish as they can from Florida waters. The red lionfish, Pterois volitans, has a distinctive brown or maroon color with white stripes or bands covering the head and body. They have fleshy tentacles above their eyes and below the mouth; fan-like pectoral fins; long, separated dorsal spines; 13 dorsal spines; 10 to 11 dorsal soft rays; three anal spines; and six to seven anal soft rays. An adult lionfish can grow as large as 18 inches. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lionfish are native to the South Pacific and Indian oceans, but since 1985, they have ventured far beyond their native waters into the southeastern United States coast from Florida to North Carolina. Juvenile lionfish have even been found in waters off Long Island, New York. Their lion-like mane spines make them a popular ornamental fish for aquariums. But when they're free to roam the ocean, they can wreak havoc on the ecosystem. NOAALionfish are native to the South Pacific and Indian oceans, but since 1985, they have ventured far beyond their native waters into the southeastern United States coast from Florida to North Carolina. Their unusual color and spiny fins discourage predators from eating them while the lionfish are active hunters and voracious eaters, consuming more than 50 species of fish including economically important species like snapper and grouper and environmentally important species like the parrotfish. 2022 Lionfish Challenge That's why the FWC is hosting its free Lionfish Challenge for the seventh year, attracting hundreds of competitors. Participants will compete in either the commercial or the recreational division and prizes will be awarded in tiers as follows: Tier 1 ­- Harvest 25 lionfish (recreational category) or 25 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).Tier 2 - Harvest 100 lionfish (recreational category) or 250 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).Tier 3 - Harvest 300 lionfish (recreational category) or 500 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).Tier 4- Harvest 600 lionfish (recreational category) or 1000 pounds of lionfish (commercial category) FloGrown is the presenting sponsor for this year's Lionfish Challenge. The Florida-based fishing and outdoor apparel company is providing custom-designed tournament shirts for all participants who reach the first prize tier. Additional prizes will be provided by FloGrown, Neritic, ZooKeeper, Divers Alert Network, Shearwater, Smith Optics, GoPro and YETI. Click here to read the full tournament rules or register. Then keep up with the challenge on the FWC Reef Rangers Facebook page. What You Should Know Before heading out in pursuit of lionfish, there are a few things you should know. Found in almost all estuaries and marine habitats in waters up to 1,000 feet deep, they especially like to hang around in depths of 1 to 300 feet in mangroves, seagrass, coral, in crevices among rocks and artificial reefs. Lionfish are rarely caught with fishing poles. The most effective method of catching them is with a spear or hand-held net. Ricardo Valera took this photo for the FWC Reef Rangers. Take care when handling lionfish. The spines of this species deliver a venomous sting that can last for days and cause extreme pain, sweating, respiratory distress, blistering, dizziness, swelling and even paralysis. Lionfish venom glands are located within two grooves of the spine. The venom is a combination of protein, a neuromuscular toxin and a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. After the spine punctures the skin, the venom enters the wound when exposed to the venom glands within the grooves of the spine. If you are stung by a lionfish, immerse the wound in hot (not scalding) water for 30 to 90 minutes and then seek medical attention. FWC Reef RangersStephen Bauman of Monroe County speared this lionfish during last year's challenge. Preparing Lionfish Filleting a lionfish is similar to filleting any other type of fish except for using caution to avoid the spines located along the dorsal, pelvic and anal fins. If you put the fish on its side, you can easily hold the fish by the bony gill plates or soft pectoral fins without getting stuck with a venomous spine. One safety precaution is to wear puncture-resistant gloves. Some also choose to cut off the spines prior to filleting. Use care when doing this as the venomous glandular tissue located within the grooves of the spines are present even at the base of the spine. Furthermore, the venom can remain active in the spines even after the lionfish is dead and stored on ice. Once you've gotten the spines under control, fillet like you would any other fish, making incisions just behind the spines on the head down to the belly, down the back of the fish near the dorsal spines and along the bottom of the fish, joining the three cuts together. The skin can be peeled off from the cut closest to the head, or you can continue to cut the filet away from the body and then cut the filet from the skin after it has been removed from the body. FWC Reef RangersOf course, the most popular way to prepare lionfish is to fry them. Lionfish Recipes Once filleted, lionfish can be prepared just as you would any fish — blackened, fried, grilled, broiled, baked and seared — and used in a variety of recipes like tacos, linguine dishes, risotto and stew. Lionfish Central's website has a large selection of recipes lionfish Florentine, lionfish Romesco stew, lionfish with avocado salsa, lionfish ceviche, Jamaican-fried lionfish, lionfish Milanese, seared lionfish with tropical fruit chutney, beer-battered lionfish with dill tartar sauce, grilled blackened lionfish, broiled lionfish with garlic-basil butter, lionfish chipotle tacos and tempura-fries lionfish tacos.