The Unwanted Fish is Now a Delicious Gourmet Dish

In recent years, Florida waters have become home to unwelcome invasive species. None is more impressive than the Lionfish, with a tiger striped body, a row of horizontal fins, and most worrisome of all, several sharp spikes along the top. This row of spikes will release a venomous toxin when touched, which can make people sick.

The Lionfish has no enemies, so it fears nothing as it swims lazily through its aquatic domain. With a voracious appetite, the Lionfish has sparked fears that it will deplete a lot of native Florida fish.

Although they can be easily caught in nets or speared by divers, fishermen remain leery of their harmful spikes.

But now it is the Lionfish who has become the hunted, as seafood chefs are learning how to prepare it and bring out its delicious flavor. Fishing outfitters have also developed puncture-proof gloves, making it easier to handle the Lionfish.

After the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched its Eat Sustainable Eat Lionfish campaign in August, restaurants are heeding the cause. If we can't stop the Lionfish, at least we can turn it into a food source.

Restaurants in Key West and Key Largo are now offering Lionfish dinner as a high-end gourmet item. Each restaurant has its own way of preparing it. Key Largo is home to the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, which is publishing their Lionfish Cookbook.

It takes some care and skill to prepare the Lionfish, with chefs using surgical gloves and scissors to remove those prickly spines before filleting them. The Fish House Encore restaurant in Key Largo is featuring a whole fried Lionfish with the spikes in place. Kev's Cafe in Islamorada is serving Lionfish chowder, southwest style.

Lionfish are native to the Asian-Pacific region, where they is not used as a food source and are only kept as exotic pets. They made it all the way to Florida somehow.