Yes! After you cut the spines off they are completely safe and good to eat and are very tasty white fish.
You can find some tasty restaurants through FWC’s list.
Lionfish spines are venomous, not poisonous. Meaning, once the spines are removed, the rest of the fish is completely edible – and quite delicious. Not only does eating lionfish help remove these pesky fish from Florida’s waters, but it also offers a sustainable fishing alternative.
“Mild, moist, buttery and very tender (definitely not the firmest of white fleshed fin fish). In a well-made ceviche, the Lionfish melts in your mouth, while the ‘butteriness’ balances well with the lime juice.” “In Ceviche it is rather firm and tastes like a cross between lobster and shrimp.
Eating lionfish is a healthier choice than most other fish commonly served in restaurants like snapper, grouper, dorado, wahoo, amberjack, tunas and billfish. Lionfish have been shown to be higher in heart healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, lower in saturated fats and heavy metals such as mercury.
By including lionfish in your diet, you’re promoting sustainable fishing which is a great way to help advance ocean conservation. Growing demand for seafood has led to fishing practices that are depleting populations of fish and other aquatic creatures. Together, we can make a difference by purchasing seafood from responsible, sustainable fisheries and by creating demand for lionfish by purchasing it directly from reputable sources.
It is our duty to help conserve and protect our oceans, and the marine life that inhabit them.
Do you have a tasty recipe you’d like to share? Send it to info@LionfishZK.com
