The Short Story
LION FISH
The lionfish, a longstanding showstopper in home aquariums, is a flourishing invasive species in U.S. Southeast and Caribbean coastal waters. This invasive species has the potential to harm reef ecosystems because it is a top predator that competes for food and space with overfished native stocks such as snapper and grouper. Scientists fear that lionfish will also kill off helpful species such as algae-eating parrotfish, allowing seaweed to overtake the reefs. In the U.S., the lionfish population is continuing to grow and increase its range. This is largely because lionfish have no known predators and reproduce all year long; a mature female releases roughly two million eggs a year.
ECDC Mission
Emerald Coast Dive Club's Members are determined to help remove as many Lion Fish from our waters as we can! As a club we encourage all our members to safely cull these invasive predators on every dive. ECDC hosts many dives focused on removing these creatures and we proudly display our "Body Count" for everyone to see. FWC has a yearly contest that gives out awards and prizes to the person with the highest "Body Count" ( see rules and regulations here ).
Castaway's Wreck Diver-Style Lionfish
Ingredients
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42 ounces lionfish fillets, patted dry
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½ cup flour, or slightly more as needed for coating
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5 cloves garlic, diced
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2 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
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5 teaspoons capers
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½ cup white wine
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¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
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parsley or kale for garnish
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lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
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Dredge fillets in flour to lightly dust. Place in sauté pan with small amount of hot butter over medium heat. Cook the first side, being careful not to burn.
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Turn over fish when golden, and reduce heat while adding garlic, tomatoes, capers, white wine and
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Turn over fish when golden, and reduce heat while adding garlic, tomatoes, capers, white wine and lemon juice. Cover to hold steam in and cook until fish is fork tender.
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Add basil and serve immediately. Garnish with sprig of parsley or kale and lemon wedge.
Photo by: Bill Wiser, all rights reserved.
ECDC Vision
With enough participation and enthusiasm ECDC believes that our members, along with the efforts of our fellow Scuba Divers, can reduce the population of these beautiful but invasive creatures.
