Hard to think of a solution to fight invasive species, isn’t it? Well, that’s no problem, because TikTokers GaleForceTwins (@galeforcetwins) did it for us.
Their solution? Cooking fresh ceviche with “the invasive and venomous lionfish.”
@galeforcetwins Lionfish Ceviche?! #lionfish #recipe #harvest #galeforcetwins #galeforce #fish #fishing #spearfishing #bahamas ♬ Happy Summer – Vin Music
As the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains, the species is native to the Indo-Pacific but can now be found along the southeast coast of the United States, in the Caribbean, and in parts of the Gulf of Mexico. This means that in Atlantic waters, they don’t have many predators and their population is only predicted to grow, affecting key reef and commercial fish species in the long run.
“Marine invaders are nearly impossible to eradicate once established,” the NOAA says.
Luckily, some individuals like our TikTokers are eager to take action, as small as that scale may be.
Once harvested, with the help of experienced divers, the lionfish is mixed with celery, tomatoes, onions, jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, cilantro, salt and pepper, and, “of course, fresh-squeezed squeezed lime juice.”
Given the look on the TikTokers’ faces, the lionfish is just as delicious as it is venomous.
And this is why the Emerald Coast Open (ECO), known as the largest lionfish tournament in the world, was created in 2019. This year, it counted 143 participants who removed 20,512 lionfish. ECO awarded as much as $65,000 in cash prizes and over $60,000 in gear prizes.
Next year, ECO’s main tournament, which is open to non-professionals, will take place on May 15 and 16.
“Ok, this answered my question about lionfish being edible,” one TikTok user commented.
“Raw fish needs to be frozen first to be safe to eat,” another pointed out.
In any case, what these two creators are doing illustrates to perfection that cherishing our taste buds does not have to come at the expense of rare species and can even help prevent invasive ones from destroying marine habitats and ecosystems.
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