Solving the lionfish problem one bite at a time

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Not sure how the Island can manage the lionfish population invading our waters?

According to one environmental group the problem can be solved one bite at a time.

Groundswell will tomorrow host its second annual lionfish tournament, Eat’ em to Beat ‘em.

Founders Matt Strong and Selange Gitschner are urging people to spear and catch as many lionfish as they can, starting at sun-up.

Executive chef Chris Malpas will then prepare samples of the catch for the non-fishing public and demonstrate the proper way to handle the species, at an open event at Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences.

Ms Gitschner described it as a family-friendly event aimed at providing people with a better understanding of environmental issues affecting the Island.

Mr Malpas will make prepare gluten-free lionfish cakes in advance.

“With the fish we get on the day we will take them and cut it into small strips, season them and make little fish fingers out of them,” he said.

“We toss those in a coconut crust and will have a Dark n Stormy sauce to go with them.”

He described the fish’s texture as semi-firm, similar to that of hog fish or grouper; the meat is also sweet.

“It’s not as soft as a coney, but not as flaky as a piece of wahoo,” he said. “The rule of thumb is, once you have removed any spines or fins, you deal with it like you would any other reef fish.”

The invasive species of fish is considered one of the biggest threats to the Island’s native fish population.

A naturally occurring toxin in the flesh of the lionfish species could lead to ciguatera poisoning, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. But Bermuda has low levels of the organism that is the root cause of the poisoning, making the fish perfectly safe to eat, local experts insist.

“The solution isn’t just hiring people to go and kill them, but if fishermen can target them then we can reduce their numbers.

“It has happened in the past where we have caught fish, like the Nassau Grouper [Hamlet] which is no longer in Bermuda. You can’t catch it any more because it was overfished to the point it’s no longer here.

“Let’s promote lionfish as the next viable eco-friendly fish you can target because, it’s the only fish you can eat that is good for the environment. When you take a fish from the water, it’s not usually a good thing, but this is a good thing.”

Events start at BIOS at 3pm.

Useful websites: www.reefspect.com, www.oceansupport.org

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