# Eat Lionfish, Save a Reef!



## Dawgluver (Mar 15, 2014)

I'm on another board, and we were discussing the deliciousness of this nasty but beautiful imported predator.  Here's a link as to where you can find some:
http://lionfish.co/eat-lionfish-here/. There are some places in the US serving it.

And a description of the taste:
http://lionfish.co/what-does-lionfish-taste-like/
If you can get it, it's absolutely outstanding, and now I need a drool rag.


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## Steve Kroll (Mar 15, 2014)

One caveat with Lionfish is the risk of ingesting a toxin that they can carry in their system. 

Link to FDA warning: FDA Adds Lionfish to List of Fish That May Carry Ciguatoxins | Food Safety News


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## Dawgluver (Mar 15, 2014)

I think I would be worried about it in barracuda, where it's common, and in the other bigger predators such as grouper, but lionfish rarely reach more than 12 inches.

And interestingly, according to your article, ciguatoxin is found in snapper, amberjack, and all the other fish that are commonly served world-wide!  I guess if ya eats big fish of any kind, ya takes yer chances...

"In its draft guidance, FDA refers fish processors to its Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, also known as The Guide, for a list of the fish that MAY carry dangerous levels of ciguatoxins. These include certain species of barracuda, grouper, scamp, amberjack, snapper, hind, hogfish, jobfish, pompano, jacks and trevally, wrasse, mackerel, tang, moray eels and parrotfish, according to The Guide."

I have eaten plenty of grouper, snapper, pompano and hogfish.  Not interested in eating moray though.


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## Andy M. (Mar 15, 2014)

There is a campaign in Aruba to promote eating lion fish.


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## Dawgluver (Mar 15, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> There is a campaign in Aruba to promote eating lion fish.



Try it, you'll like it!  The link I posted had several Aruban restaurants listed.  If you can, get it coconut crusted, to die for!

When we were snorkeling along a reef wall last December, I spotted my first lionfish "in the wild".  I was really excited, and directed DH to come and see it.  Then I looked up, and an entire Mexican family was up top watching the same lionfish.  I asked them in broken Spanglish if they had a net, I would catch it for them.  They would have gotten a nice 2 inch fillet from it


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## CraigC (Mar 16, 2014)

Thank you so very much Atlantis, Paradise Island!


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## dragnlaw (Mar 16, 2014)

Thanks Dawgluver, 
Very interesting - good reading.  Should I ever be in a restaurant that specializes in seafood I'll ask.  (and I'm not talking about the Lobster!)


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## Cheryl J (Mar 17, 2014)

Fascinating articles, Dawg! I read both of them with great interest, and learned a lot. I would absolutely try lionfish, given the chance. Not much chance of that here in the CA desert, but who knows, I may go somewhere that it is offered. 

My son-in-law Steve took this pic of a lionfish when he was scuba diving in Bali a couple of years ago. Such strangely beautiful creatures!


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## Dawgluver (Mar 17, 2014)

Thanks Cheryl!  What a beautiful picture!


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## salt and pepper (Mar 17, 2014)

*...*
Eat lionfish? Sure, but beware of the nasty toxins - Vitals


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## dragnlaw (Mar 17, 2014)

salt and pepper said:


> *...*
> Eat lionfish? Sure, but beware of the nasty toxins - Vitals



So it is important to ask your supplier just 'where' the fish comes from as the toxic ones are only from a certain area - others are supposedly fine, according to most of the sites and blurbs.


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