SARASOTA – Despite the Lionfish Derby being canceled due to weather Suncoast residents still enjoyed the 11th annual Lionfish tasting.
Reef, an international marine conservation organization, and Mote Marine Lab hosted the lionfish tasting at the aquarium Sunday.
Lionfish are an invasive species here in Florida, and Reef wants to encourage residents to try the fish as new seafood treat to help control the population.
“Five of the local chefs come in and cook their best dish using lionfish and then everyone gets a chance to taste it and vote for who they liked the best,” said Reefs Invasive Species Program Manager Alli Candelmo. “The goal is to continue to encourage the public to want to eat lionfish so we continue to increase that demand.”
Candelmo says nearly 800 lionfish were used for the tasting and continues to encourage fisherman to catch the species to control the population that’s taking over Florida’s sea life.
