Whole Foods to Sell Lionfish

[malx]

Oh man!

Last weekend Whole Foods announced they will start selling Lionfish.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...-whole-foods-invasive-lionfish-food/84962286/

As a kid, I always wanted a Lionfish but my parents never let me get one because they were afraid that it would sting me due to my own negligence--probably true. Now that I'm back in the reefing hobby, and although they are beautiful and "majestic" (or lazy), I'm not interested in keeping one. As many of you know, they are an invasive species in Florida and kill much of the reef animals there. Also, I am planning to do the Lionfish Derby as well. My girlfriend used to have one named Mufasa as a pet and also would have no problem doing the Derby.

I'm curious to hear everyone's perspective on both keeping Lionfish as their pets, eating them as food, and stabbing them to death, as I seem to be OK with doing either one of those three.

Cheers,
Joey

 

[steallife904]

All for stabbing them and eating them! I live in Jacksonville FL so have heard of them for a while destroying the reefs further south. I have also heard of people catching them and seeing them here in Jax. Something needs to be done to stop them so I am all for it.

 

[Fissues]

Yes! Kill the invaders!

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I've had them in my tanks when I was a kid and I love seeing them when we dive (in Asia, not US or Caribbean). I also have had some enjoyable dives spearfishing them in the Caribbean. They taste delicious! If I lived in Florida, I'd dive for them all the time.

 

[malx]

Damn! Thanks for the responses. I heard they are really amazing to eat too! I can't wait to try one. Seems like a lot of people share the same views.


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[OrQidz]

Catching and eating them sounds good to me! They are invasive so no concerns about overfishing, and if they are tasty, makes sense. Now I want to try some.

 

[malx]

The Derby is a competition, who can get the most Lionfish. I'm feeling a team "Reef Central" this summer! Any takers?


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[ecotanker]

Yes, definitely catch and eat them! I would love to try some, so thanks for the info about whole foods stocking them.

 

[CuzzA]

We're headed in the right direction.

I think our gov't should let us recreational spearos sell them to restaurants and fish markets. Set up a registration and reporting system and have stiff mandatory minimum sentences for any rec fisherman/spearo selling any other species.

 

[malx]

Yes, definitely catch and eat them! I would love to try some, so thanks for the info about whole foods stocking them.

Anytime.


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[malx]

We're headed in the right direction.

I think our gov't should let us recreational spearos sell them to restaurants and fish markets. Set up a registration and reporting system and have stiff mandatory minimum sentences for any rec fisherman/spearo selling any other species.

Sounds like a good idea to encourage people to hunt and keep their population down. I'm not educated on fishing regulations. I imagine you need some hefty permits to fish for commercial use.


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[davocean]

They were so invasive at one point I heard some people were paid to fish/spear them, not sure how true that is or if it was followed through that way or not.
I know some restraunts were really promoting them, they are very similar to sculpin which taste great, so I'm all for it.

 

[CuzzA]

Also, our silly government should rescind the ban on them as an aquarium species. Lionfish are here to stay. In fact, while they are technically invasive, at this point they are just as much part of the ecosystem as any other species and will never be eradicated. Why prohibit another (financially motivated) source of removal? It doesn't make sense.

 

[cougareyes]

You guys stink, I have a lionfish reef tank with a fuzzy, zebra, fu man chu, and antennata. I know they are becoming invasive and I don't see a problem with eating them, after all we are human.

 

[malx]

You guys stink, I have a lionfish reef tank with a fuzzy, zebra, fu man chu, and antennata. I know they are becoming invasive and I don't see a problem with eating them, after all we are human.

Post a pic! I want to see your reef.


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[cougareyes]

It's a 90g

 

[davocean]

You guys stink, I have a lionfish reef tank with a fuzzy, zebra, fu man chu, and antennata. I know they are becoming invasive and I don't see a problem with eating them, after all we are human.

Why do we stink, it sounds like we are all in agreement w/ each other?
Keep your pets but eat the wild invasive ones!

 

[cougareyes]

Why do we stink, it sounds like we are all in agreement w/ each other?
Keep your pets but eat the wild invasive ones!

I was just kidding, we are in agreement. I think I've even eaten cat or dog or something I wasn't sure of. I dont know how to make the symbols of just kidding.

 

[davocean]

Ah gotcha, sometimes the smilies help w/ that, but I agree, fish are both friend, and food!

 

[downbeach]

On the FW side, they should start this with Snake Heads too.