(See video at bottom of story about how to fillet a lionfish)

Remember the urban myth that there were giant alligators in New York City’s sewers because parents flushed their kid’s baby alligators down the toilet? Well, down south we’ve created an even scarier story. Scarier because ours is true. Instead of flushing our feared predator down the toilet, we merely dumped them out of our aquariums into the Atlantic. Probably started near Miami in the late ‘70’s or early ‘80’s. Our feared predator? A 12” fish that’s really pretty. Now what’s so scary about that, you ask? Three things. They have no known natural predators in the Gulf. They eat all other fish near them, especially young fish. And last, but certainly not least, in the Gulf and Atlantic, they breed ten times faster than roaches.

Put all three together, and you get a fish that quickly overpopulates, then eats everything else that swims. These little rascals can devastate a fish population faster than you can say invasive species.

A Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) volunteer measures lionfish at the derby in Long Key. Photo credit: Celia Hitchins for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Although the lionfish invasion started in the Atlantic and next spread to the Caribbean, it has now made it’s way into the Gulf. They are traveling west from the Keys and have made it as far as southwest Louisiana.

What exactly is a lionfish? They’re a striped fish native to the Western Pacific. Evidently they have natural predators there. They are between 3” and 16” in length. Their fins are very exaggerated and ornamental, which is where most of their beauty comes from. Because of their beauty, they’re popular aquarium fish. But don’t get too close to their fins. They contain spines that have a toxin that can make you sick or kill you. Most of the lionfish found in the Atlantic and Gulf are of a species whose venom isn’t deadly, unless you’re allergic. But some species found in the Caribbean have a much deadlier toxin than can kill humans or leave permanent injuries.

Those spines are one of the main reasons lionfish don’t have enemies here. “They have spines on top, on bottom, and at their front and rear,” said Tom Jackson, Research Fisheries Biologist with NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Tom has long known about lionfish, having had them in his aquarium when he was growing up in Texas. Now he investigates them in an effort to find a way to control their population.

“Lionfish are still one of the top ten best selling aquarium fish. And there are no regulations on their sale! The problem with them is that once they mature, they will eat every other fish in an aquarium,” said Tom. When that happens, the owners usually decide to get rid of them. This is what scientists like Tom think led to their introduction into the Atlantic off Miami.

What can we do to stop their spread? First would be to stop selling them for aquariums so no more will be dumped into the Gulf. After that, there isn’t a comprehensive plan. An effort at local intervention is being made in the Florida Keys. Karrie Carnes of The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) says that FKNMS and the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) have organized Lionfish Derbies. These derbies are fishing tournaments in which lionfish are taken by nets, spears or slurp guns by scuba divers, snorkelers or swimmers.

Each lionfish caught in the derby was weighed as part of a lionfish data collection effort. Photo credit: Celia Hitchins for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Divers successfully removed 531 invasive lionfish on May 14, during the Second Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby Series in Long Key. Ten teams of divers competed for $3,350 in cash and prizes in the categories of most, largest and smallest lionfish. Team “Strategery” of Key Largo netted $1,000 for most lionfish with their haul of 158 fish collected in the single day event. Team “Full Circle” of Islamorada, won $500 for largest lionfish with a 14-inch fish, while Team “Key Lime Good Time” of Miami took home $500 for the smallest lionfish at 2.5 inches. The Long Key derby was sponsored by the City of Layton and Divers Direct.

The remaining 2011 lionfish derbies are scheduled August 20 and Nov. 5 in Key Largo and Key West respectively. Teams of up to four divers may register at www.reef.org/lionfish/derbies.

Please report any lionfish sighting to www.nas.er.usgs.gov/SightingReport.aspx.

Does Anyone Have Paul Prudhomme’s Phone Number?

NOAA Fisheries is also trying to promote lionfish as a consumable fish. Despite their spines, their flesh is good to eat, with a buttery flavor. The only poison in them is contained in the spines, so anyone trying to filet one should clip their spines off first. Evidently, NOAA hopes they’re tasty enough to generate a large demand, which will result in overfishing. That would be the first known case of NOAA Fisheries promoting overfishing. Gulfscapes recommends that NOAA Fisheries retain Paul Prudhomme, noted New Orleans chef, to whip up a blackened lionfish dish. Paul’s blackened redfish recipe was so popular in the 1980’s that it lead to overfishing to such a degree that commercial fishing for redfish was banned by emergency federal regulations. We can only hope to be so lucky with lionfish!

Featured Lionfish Events:

Key West / November 5
Lionfish Derby for Divers
Teams of up to four divers compete for more than $3,300 in cash and prizes in the final of three 2011 lionfish derbies. Derby divers who successfully remove invasive lionfish from sanctuary waters can win for most, largest and smallest lionfish. The Lower Keys derby is held Hurricane Hole Marina, Key West. Visit REEF website to register; four-person team is $120, includes banquet tickets and a pair of puncture resistant gloves or a capture bag. 305-852-0030, alecia@reef.org

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