Lionfish

The lionfish is a tropical fish native to a wide range of regions in the western Pacific Ocean. Since the early 2000s, it has become an established invasive species on the East Coast of the U.S. and in the Caribbean, probably as a result of people releasing aquarium fish in coastal waters. The lionfish is fast-growing, a voracious eater, reproduces year-round, and has no known predators in the areas to which it has now been introduced, so it is quickly becoming a threat to local ecosystems, especially along the central and south Atlantic coasts. Because it is not native to the U.S., it has not traditionally been considered a food item there; however, in areas where it is native, such as the Red Sea in Greece and many islands in the Pacific, the fish are regularly consumed.

Because they are slow moving, lionfish are typically caught with spears or hand-held nets, a catch method that is very selective and results in little bycatch or damage to habitat. Although its spines are venomous, they are easily removed after capture and the poison in them is neutralized by heat, as through cooking. The lionfish is a whitefish and is said to taste similar to certain snappers and groupers.