Lionfish - If you don't know what they look like, the mere
mention of them conjures up images of mythical creatures like that of the
Griffin or the Sphinx. Their fins, like the mane of a lion, float around
their head like the hair of Medusa, and yet for thousands of years, these
venomous fish have lived harmoniously in their natural waters of the South
Pacific and Indian Oceans.
It wasn't until the 1980s that we noticed that these fish had made their way into the Atlantic Ocean. There have been many theories
throughout the years as to how they got there, but most experts agree it is due
to humans dumping their beloved aquarium fish into the ocean. Well, that is
fine if you live in California, but here on the East Coast, it is wreaking
havoc with the fish that naturally live among the coral rock of the Atlantic
and Caribbean waters.
In Greek mythology it is said that the Sphinx would ask passers-by
a riddle and if they couldn't answer it, the Sphinx would ravenously eat them
and take their treasure; and so it seems is the way of the lionfish. Here in
the Atlantic Ocean, one lionfish can eat up to 60 fish a day, pushing some
vital reef fish toward extinction, robbing the native fish of their food
source, and devastating our treasured coral reefs.
So how do we answer the lionfish riddle? Ask for them at
your local restaurants. Yes, these little monsters are quite tasty and the more
demand there is for them, the more the fisherman will fish for them. So
if you want to help solve the riddle and help the environment, eat lionfish…
It's what's for dinner!
