White River Fisherman Teach Lionfish who is King of Jamaican Waters

On 11 December 2009 members of the White River Fisherman’s Cooperative hosted representatives from NEPA, Fisheries, community leaders, restaurateurs, local business owners and the U.S. Peace Corps to teach them the safe handling, cleaning and preparation of the lionfish.  The lionfish is the beautiful and showy striped fish with venomous spines that are native to the Pacific Ocean but are showing up in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The lionfish have elongated venomous dorsal fin spines and enlarged pectoral fins. A person punctured by one of the sharp spines will immediately feel strong pain. Rapid swelling of the affected body area develops along with the possibility of making movement of limbs very difficult. Lionfish stings can cause nausea, breathing difficulties, paralysis, convulsions, collapse, and even death in rare cases.

Lionfish entered the waters of Florida as aquarium fish that were illegally dumped or spilled during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.  Since then they have rapidly spread and are now common in Jamaican waters.  Lionfish have no natural predators in Caribbean waters and are thriving on the already dwindling baby and juvenile reef fish. Their method of attack is particularly unique. Instead of an ambush attack or high-speed chase, lionfish make their presence known and confuse their prey by displaying their beautiful fins like a peacock, slowly dancing towards their prey and then rapidly sucking the prey into their mouths like a vacuum. This technique is so effective because no other predator in the Caribbean uses it, so prey is not adapted to avoid it.

The good news is that lionfish are edible if those who catch and clean them are careful to avoid the spines.  Lionfish meat has long been considered a delicacy in the Indio-Pacific and is even rumored to provide a man with exceptional vitality and stamina.  Members of the White River Fisherman’s Cooperative have been pioneering the utilization of lionfish as food in Jamaica as a way to control their rapid spread and destructive impact on native fishes.  During the 11 December cookout, the fishermen handled, cleaned and cooked approximately 35 lionfish for the attendees.  The fish was prepared steamed, fried, and in soup.  Attendees enjoyed the lionfish meat and found it to be firm and light in flavor and responded well to the chef’s seasonings.  One NEPA representative was heard to say that “lionfish is a White River delicacy.”

Members of the White River Watershed and Ocho Rios Marine Park Association (WHROMP) in conjunction with the White River Fisherman’s Cooperative, the U.S. Peace Corps and NuMedia, Inc. have completed an informational brochure on the safe handling, cleaning and preparation of the lionfish.  An instructional video is also in the works and will be completed soon.

The basics of cleaning lionfish are as follows, but first, a warning:

Lionfish must be handled CAREFULLY!!!!!

1. Heat neutralizes the toxins in the lionfish.  If possible apply heat to venomous dorsal spines before cleaning.
2. Remove the dorsal spines along the back of the fish by cutting into the flesh along each side of the row of spines.  After loosening, pry them off.  Some find a strong pair of kitchen scissors or tin snips to be easier to accomplish this.
3. Remove the anal and pelvic spines by cutting from the base.
4. Remove remaining fins.
5. Scale the fish; they are small and easily removed.
6. Gut and fillet the fish as usual.
7. Dispose of spines so they do not present a hazard to others.  Burn if possible.
8. Season and cook per your preferences.

For further information please contact:

Eric McDougal, President of the White River Fisherman’s Cooperative

269-8971 or 917-1544

WHROMP

381-3474 or 974-5189

whromp@gmail.com