Frank Schmidt (front right) and members of the Lighthouse Point Saltwater Sportsman Association with the lionfish they caught spearfishing on local coral reefs. Photo provided
By Steve Waters
April can be a tough month for divers who love to hunt for lobster and shoot grouper with their spearguns.
Florida’s lobster season closed April 1 and remains closed until the two-day sport season, more commonly known as lobster miniseason, at the end of July. And the grouper season has been closed since Jan. 1 and doesn’t open until May 1.
That makes this month a good time to have all your dive gear serviced or upgraded so you’ll be ready for miniseason, which is July 29-30, and the regular lobster season, which opens Aug. 6.
After everything is good to go, why not test out your dive equipment by jumping in the water and spearing some lionfish?
Native to the Indian and southern Pacific oceans, lionfish were first documented off South Florida in the 1980s, the result of an aquarium owner dumping the fish.
Spread by ocean currents, lionfish now range from North Carolina to South America and are in the Gulf of Mexico and much of the Caribbean. They’re also in Florida Bay, the Loxahatchee River and the Indian River Lagoon.
The exotic species takes a toll on native reef fish such as baby yellowtail snapper, hogfish and grouper.
“Lionfish can eat anything that’ll fit in their mouths,” said Stephanie Green, a lionfish researcher at Oregon State University.
On reefs where lionfish are plentiful, there has been a 95% decline in some native populations. Local divers can do their part to help native species by spearing as many lionfish as they can. And not just bigger lionfish that are easy to fillet for dinner.
“It’s good to kill the little ones before they become big ones,” said Dan Kurt of Pompano Beach. He shoots every lionfish he sees, no matter how small. “Think of the damage those [little ones] would have done.”
The big ones do have thick, firm, mild-tasting fillets that Frank Schmidt of Lighthouse Point has a delicious way of preparing. He sautés them in a skillet with olive oil, salt and pepper. The fish also make a great ceviche.
Care must be taken when keeping lionfish because they have 18 venomous spines, 13 on the top and five on the bottom. The pectoral fins, which are not venomous, give the fish its name because when they’re fanned out in the water, they look like a lion’s mane.
Getting stung by a spine can cause intense pain. I have watched Schmidt spear lionfish, and he has an effective technique to avoid the venomous spines. Holding the fish securely by putting his thumb in its mouth like you would for a bass or a snook, Schmidt removes the spear. Then he uses shears to cut off all the spines at the base, sticks the disarmed fish in his catch bag and resumes hunting.
Lionfish with their venomous spines sheared off.
Schmidt told of a diver who had removed a lionfish from his spear, then used his hand to wipe the three-pronged spear tip clean. He didn’t realize that a spine was clinging to the tip and it pierced his Kevlar glove, sending him to the hospital, where he was told to go home and put his hand in hot water.
If you’re diving and get stung by a lionfish, Schmidt emphasized the importance of keeping your cool and not rushing to the surface.
“You’re in so much pain, you could forget your good rules of diving,” said Schmidt, who has been spined. “In 12 feet of water you’ll be OK, but in 60 feet you could get in trouble.”
Given the damage that lionfish can do to fish populations and divers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has extremely liberal regulations. The season is open year-round, there is no bag or size limit, and a saltwater fishing license is not needed for recreational divers who use a pole spear, a Hawaiian Sling, a handheld net or any spearing device that is specifically designed and marketed exclusively for lionfish.
For more information, including a video on how to fillet a lionfish and a schedule of lionfish tournaments, visit myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lionfish.
Lantana Fishing Derby
Early registration is open for the 31st annual Lantana Fishing Derby, which is June 6. In addition to kingfish, dolphin and wahoo, a snapper category has been added with a top prize of $500. The early entry fee is $250. After May 23 the entry fee is $350. Visit lantanachamber.com/lantana-fishing-derby.
Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.
Comments