Red Snapper Eating Lionfish

[Aquatic Argobul]

Just noticed the new section. The lionfish population in Pensacola, Florida seems to have exploded in the last 12 months. Anecdotally, I have personally witnessed the lionfish population go from a 10% chance of sighting one to about a 90% chance of sighting in the last year or so. Here's a re-post from the Upper Gulfcoast section.

Footage from 1-6-12. Killed 8 lionfish on this small piece of scrap metal in 100 feet of water out of the Pensacola pass. I think we killed 13 on the day and were able to catch one live for the UWF biology department. We had to cut them to get them off of the spear and slowly the red snapper turned their sights on the dead lionfish. Sorry the video isn't the best quality, the wide angle of the gopro means you have to get really close to your subjects without scaring them away. It really helps to watch it in 720p.

Red snapper eating lionfish in Pensacola, FL - YouTube

YouTube

[kendo]

You'll have to excuse my ignorance but do you guys eat them? I saw a link to this video after watching yours and it made me wonder. A win win if they good eating and you end up helping out the native species.

Lionfish - If you Can't Beat 'em, Then Eat 'em! - YouTube

YouTube

[SpearMax]

Ah, sure - that scientist in the Guy Harvey video says at the end that we humans are the main predator against lionfish. While that may be true and I am very supportive of the idea of us humans killing them, and eating them if we wish.

I am very skeptical that we can really stem this tide of the lionfish invasion. We may be able to help specific areas we dive, but the ocean is a humongus place and these lionfish are breeding rapidly everywhere it seems.

Look at them all around the base of our latest find in my backyard at 185 feet - the Jupiter Helldiver airplane. Guess what? They are at hundreds of feet deeper as well.

One of my scientists friends says in the Pacific they are kept in check at their infantile stages. I sure hope something like that happens here as well.

Dr. Craig Layman has put together some great stuff about lionfish here:

http://absci.fiu.edu/?cat=46


.

[kendo]

I agree that spearo's are not going to solve the problem since we're too few and there's too many of them but I was curious at how they taste. If you're going to have an invasive species collapse your fishery then take as many as you can for the table.

[Aquatic Argobul]

I haven't kept any in Florida, but during a trip to the bahamas, we ate about 10 of them. Had them fried and grilled. They were tasty, took to the seasoning really well. They are very mild, almost like tilapia but softer flesh.

[GoproTheron]

Down here in the Bahamas it's getting really bad, i can go to a single reef and kill -15-20.. these things are deep to! friend of mine caught a monster one on deep drop line in 700' of water.

[Aquatic Argobul]

700 feet!?! I guess that is bad news if humans are going to be the only natural predator of lionfish

[hogphish]

lionfish are great eating...plus you can flash the dorsal spines in the microwave and use them as serving toothpicks. Adds a nice touch lets your gourmet buddies feel like they are adventurous.

[GoproTheron]

ill have to try that one!

[kmoose]

I've seen AJs eat them like popcorn off NC. We also saw several while gutting shot AJs as well. I'm sure other fish will eat them as well. There here for good, get used to it and don't get stung.

[SC00BAD1V3R]

nice video

[laguna80]

Originally Posted by hogphish

lionfish are great eating...plus you can flash the dorsal spines in the microwave and use them as serving toothpicks. Adds a nice touch lets your gourmet buddies feel like they are adventurous.

Can you really do that? Pretty cool idea for a pupu party.

[ny_er]

I found a small lion fish inside a mutton last week, so we are not there only predators

Tried to feed them to Jewfish over the weekend. No takers.

[Capt Crunch]

Found lionfish inside Morey last week. So it seems our native Reef dwellers are adapting.