Invasive Lionfish on Menu for Seafood Festival

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Eating Lionfish May Help Protect Caribbean Reefs

Invasive Lionfish on Menu for Seafood Festival

A lionfish hunts on a Bahamian reef. Photo from NOAA's National Ocean Service on Flickr.

Lionfish, a beautiful but invasive species, will be one of a dozen types of seafood on the menu at the Rock the Boat Sustainable Seafood Festival on Thursday, June 9, 2011 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the ABQ BioPark Aquarium.

Lionfish, native to the Pacific Ocean, have invaded reefs along the Atlantic coast. Aggressive predators, armed with venomous spines, lionfish prey on native reef species and destroy populations of commercially valuable species. Although the invasive lionfish is probably here to stay, divers and fisherman are doing their part to catch and remove these fish. Lionfish is being promoted throughout the Caribbean as a sustainable subsistence species. Although the spines have venom, lionfish filet is not poisonous and its taste has been compared to halibut and snapper.

“Lionfish is a new dish for my team, so we have started with lots of research and experimentation,” said Annie Fedora, General Manager of the BioPark’s Culinary Department. “We are excited to offer this new and unusual fish at the Seafood Festival. We would love to be part of creating a market for lionfish and helping protect reefs along the Atlantic coast.”

The Rock the Boat Sustainable Seafood Festival will feature seafood dishes prepared by some of Albuquerque’s finest restaurants and opportunities to learn about the best seafood choices. The night will be filled with music under the stars by Soul Kitchen, cooking demonstrations, wine sampling, an auction, and education stations. And don’t miss desserts located throughout the Aquarium. Tickets are $30 per person. To learn more about the festival or to purchase tickets, please visit, www.rocktheboatfestival.com.

Photo from NOAA's National Ocean Service on Flickr.