I Spear Lionfish (dot) org

Lionfish are not native to Caribbean waters. Originally found only in Pacific waters of Asia, they have entered, permeated and threaten to destroy marine environments throughout the Caribbean. Aquarium dumping of the popular imported fish is the likely source of their introduction to the Atlantic. It is suspected that possibly only four female specimens, as DNA profiles suggest, were dumped into the Atlantic off the east coast of Florida. Spreading from Florida waters, where the Pacific lionfish was first sighted in 1985, the invasive species has inundated reefs from the Bahamas to Belize, Turks and Caicos and further points south. They have been in Bocas less than a year, but seem intent on completely taking over the reefs. They have the ability to do so. (See ISpearLionfish.org)

To date there have been two Lionfish round ups. In fact in the last round up they caught 572 fish. We must continue to fight them year round. One of the best things we can do in order to decimate their population and save the native fish populations is turn them into a food commodity. This is what Bocas restaurant El Ultimo Refugio has done.


Here is a video shot off the coast of North Carolina. They use an ice brine to detoxify the lionfish. They are also catching them at extreme depths which is a bit different than most people catch them in Bocas del Toro. Eat Lionfish!