Groundswell Lionfish Tournament Set For July 19

The 2014 Groundswell Lionfish Tournament will be held on Saturday, July 19, following up on last year’s successful event that saw the invasive lionfish captured, recorded, and cooked for attending crowds.

The tournament will sees entrants capture as many lionfish as they can before a 3.00pm weigh-in performed at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science [BIOS], with a subsequent party to feature lionfish handling and tasting, live music and DJs, Gosling’s Bar, a bouncy castle for children in attendance, and more, with festivities lasting until 8.00pm.

Chef Chris Malpas discusses and demonstrates cooking lionfish at the 2013 event:

Those wishing to take part in the tournament itself can download the registration form online; the cost is $25 and both the form and fee should be dropped off to Marine Locker.

Originating in the Indo-Pacific Region, it is believed that the lionfish was introduced into the Atlantic in the late 1980s by local aquariums or fish hobbyists in Florida.

Corey Eddy discusses preparing and lionfish at the 2013 event:

They have now spread throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, South America, and as far north as Bermuda and even Massachusetts. Lionfish are indiscriminate predators, preying on species which are commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important.

#Fishing #Lionfish

Category: All, Environment