AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye "Kill it and grill it!"

"Kill it and grill it!" says Sean Morton, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a 3,900-square-mile National Park that is entirely underwater. The park is licensing hundreds of scuba divers to exterminate red lionfish in "no-take" areas where other fishing and spearing isn't permitted. "We want people to get out there and kill as many as possible," he says.
The marine community is giving the same edict up and down the East Coast. Just as its fellow emigre from the Far East, the Asian carp, has shaken up the Great Lakes, the lionfish is taking on new territory.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...21532882174.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

I think restaurants should start seving it up as SPECIAL of THE DAY!

I'll definitely help! You guys catch'em and I will eat'em!!!!!!

The dive masters are cooking them up on the grill with regularly.
It seem all thats necessary is to cut the fins off with out touching them and its better than snapper.
One of our divemasters killed 132 last month and is already over 300 for this month.

oh lordy thats a lot

Hey Elbert, if we get any on Wednesday can I take them home for dinner?

Im curious to the biggest one caught so far? I love lionfish (the looks) I had a tank in Ohio with 3 before i loved down.

Of course I dumped them in the ocean in FL on my way down to BZ. (Joke mine died sigh). But yeah anyway Im thinking about keeping a tank of them in BZ when i get back. Hmm gonna start a new thread about tanks... brb

Their getting bigger, nice snapper size. Our Lion Killer champion is down for a few days he got stung several times before but with out much reaction, however the big one that stung him yesterday sent him into convulsions and we had to rush him to the doctor for epi injections. Hes gona be out of work for a few days, meanwhile the Lionfish are getting bigger and bigger.

yup, wont be long, can read it now: "DIVER SWALLOWED BY MONSTER LIONFISH AT HOL CHAN" - story at 11.

Randy's (Dry Pirate) Lionfish Recipe

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wear Heavy Duty Mechanics Gloves and be careful!!!
With heavy kitchen scissors trim off all fins, Dorsal, Anal, Pectoral and Tail at their base. then Fillet the fish as you would any other bottom fish. Once skinned cut out rib-cage leaving a bite sized fillet (depending on size of fish) boneless and skinless.

Batter after dredge.

Dredge: 1 egg, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp Mayo, 2 tbsp yellow mustard whisk to frothy. Soak Fillets until wet both sides.

Batter: Zatarains Seasoned Fish Fry...or Crispy Southern, or Louisiana Fish Fry, or Drakes, or any other brand you like.

Florida Style would be Dixie Darling Cracker meal with salt and Pepper added to taste.

Coat both sides till completely dry. Fry in Vegetable oil at 250-300 degrees for 4-5 min. Serve with Fries or Grits or Cheese Grits or Peas N Rice or Mac n Cheese or S Louisiana Style with white beans & rice. Enjoy!

PS...I incurred several barbs while handling them. Remove the barbs with tweezers asap and soak area with vinegar. All tingles and pain stopped quickly. It was really less severe than jellyfish, but I must say I have a high tolerance for bites and stings. I have been bitten by snakes, jellys, bees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, spiders, etc...without any major reaction. Try it at your own risk.

To neutralize the toxin before you clean/fillet them, immerse the fish in a COLD brine solution for about 10 minutes. IE: Keep a cooler full of ice on your boat. Fill it with a bit of water and dump in a POUND or two of salt (depending on how big the cooler is.) When you spear the fish and are back up on deck, toss them in. By the time you get back to the dock, you handle the fish w/ out worry.

Elbert: If you're regularly getting nice size ones, let us know/bring the fillets here, we'll buy them. We make some tasty lionfish tacos.

"Lionfsh tacos at Rojo... Saving the reef one taco at a time."