FWC Awards $250,000 To Research Lionfish Removal

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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is awarding $250,000 to five organizations to research new ways to remove invasive lionfish from deep-water habitats.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission news release says $50,000 each is going to the University of Florida, Reef Environmental Education Foundation, American Marine Research Company, R3 Digital Sciences and Atlantic Lionshare Ltd. The contracts run through next June.

The Florida diving community uses spearfishing gear to control their populations in shallow waters, but lionfish can be found as deep as 1,000 feet, far beyond recreational dive limits of 130 feet.

Lionfish face few natural predators, where they eat native fish, such as grouper and snapper, which are important to maintaining healthy reefs and compete with native predators for food.

Lionfish are gluttonous eaters. They eat anything it can fit in its mouth and so far, there's nothing in the ocean that eats the lionfish. They have spines that sting anything that comes in contact with them and even sharks are afraid of them.

Lionfish have venomous spines but they are edible. When properly cleaned, lionfish yield a white meat that is considered a delicacy.