[Coral-List] Lionfish matters

[Steve LeGore]

What is the problem with calling them Lionfish?  I think it is a perfect name.  It's just a marketing issue.  If they are promoted for their mythical qualities as an aphrodisiac and cure for male impotence, e.g. "It will make you feel like a LION KING!" no male tourist will fail to consume at least one -- if just to enable him to tell the story back home whether he believes the hype or not.  The “toxic” spines just add to the sense of danger and adventure.  That's better, I think, than falsely labeling them a "grouper."  Effective marketing could even enable inflated "tourist" prices, enhancing the profitability and hence effectiveness of the fishery.



-----Original Message-----
>From: andrea anton <andreantongamazo at yahoo.es>
>Sent: Jan 27, 2011 1:44 PM
>To: coral coral <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
>Subject: [Coral-List] Lionfish matters
>
>Dear coral listers,
>
>From my field experience working with lionfish, I would say cannibalism is 
>pretty unlikely to happen. I have had multiple lionfish of different sizes in 
>large fish cages and never saw lionfish attacking each other.  In fact, they 
>seem to like to hang around in groups in the reef.
>
>The ciguatera news are bad but not surprising.  However, other large predatory 
>fish carry ciguatera too and that did not stop us from fishing them.  Look at 
>the recommendations by NOAA on this matter: 
>
>
>
>http://nolionfish.com/2011/01/lionfish-and-ciguatera-the-facts-have-changed-2/
>
>Finally, although I love the idea of calling them the “stripped grouper” to 
>encourage people to eat them, they taste so good that people that have tried 
>them seem to love them (even knowing they are lionfish). See the response of 
>Bahamians after eating lionfish for the first time (outreach video we have made 
>in the Bahamas to encourage people to catch them and eat them!): 
>
>
>
>http://www.conchsaladtv.com/lionfish-invasion-part-3/ 
>
>
>(Lionfish Invasion, part 3 ~minute 11).
>
>Best regards
> 
>Andrea Anton
>Graduate Student
>Coker Hall
>University of North Carolina
>27599-3280 Chapel Hill NC
>
>
>
>
>________________________________
>De: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
>Para: coral coral <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
>Enviado: jue,27 enero, 2011 09:35
>Asunto: [Coral-List] Lionfish on the menu
>
>Hello, Listers,
>
>Not to drag on forever this Lionfish discussion, but they are an apex preditor, 
>and have the ability to carry the ciguatera poison.  I read recently that of ten 
>
>fish tested, six were 'infested' with ciguatera.  So much for them being a human 
>
>food source. :(
>
>"Cheers", 
>
>Melissa
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Melissa E. Keyes
>St. Croix, 
>U.S.Virgin Islands
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>
>      
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Steve LeGore, Ph.D.
LeGore Environmental Associates, Inc.
2804 Gulf Drive N.
Holmes Beach, Florida 34217 USA
Tel: 941/778-4650
Fax: 941/778-4761
Cell: 941/447-8010
GMT + 4 hrs