The Red
Lionfish (Pterois volitans) are now on the retreat
thanks to the work of NEPA’s (National Environment and Planning Agency) MTIASIC
(Mitigating the Threat of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean) which
after four years is reaping success as stated in “NEPA
reports big drop in lionfish sightings”, published Wednesday, April 16,
2014, The Jamaica Observer.
This assessment was made by Minister of Water, Land, Environment and
Climate Change, Robert Pickersgill at a closing out ceremony for the MTIASIC
project, more popularly known as the National Lionfish Project that was held at
the Pollyanna Hotel in Kingston on Friday April 11th 2014 as stated
in “Lionfish
population down”, published Saturday, April 12, 2014 4:46 PM, The Jamaica Observer.
At 66%, that a dramatic rate of success that's as simple as hunting the
invasive species of fish that eats other young fish and ...well…..eating them.
Escapees from the protected pond environment in Florida during a Hurricane back
in 1992, they quickly made the Caribbean their home in 2006, with populations
reaching as high as 250 Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans) per hectare.
That 66% since MTIASIC began its work in 2009 translates to 80 Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans) per hectare, mainly thanks to the National Lionfish
Project PR (Public Relations) campaign literally getting Jamaicans to consume
the butterfish-tasting Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans), after having removed their poisonous fins or course.
But is there commercial value for the Fast Food Industry in farming the Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans)? I did an article suggesting they’d be a big hit as a
Fast Food Delicacy as Jamaicans were showing an interest in consuming them in
that setting as explained in my blog article entitled
“Rainforest
Seafoods vs the Lionfish - KFC iTwist in Yendi Phillip's Emerald Forest”.
Red Lionfish are Commercially
Viable – Lionfish are the Cattle of the Aquaculture Farming World
However, their numbers being reduced, they're no longer commercially
viable in that sense as far as Rainforest Seafoods was
concerned. However, an enterprising Fish Farmer can grow the Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans) commercially in a Fish Pond, as their very fast rate
of growth in the Wild suggests that they are efficient converters of protein
into body mass, excellent for Commercial Fish Farming.
Thus Red
Lionfish (Pterois volitans) weighting several pounds is
possible in a matter of weeks. That enterprising Fish Farmer can grow them very
quickly and resell them to restaurants
and Agro-Packaging companies such as Best Dressed and CPL to be gutted and vacuum
sealed and sold to Jamaicans and exported abroad as explained in my blog
article entitled “CB
Group's Safe Food Movement Vacuum Sealed Tray-less Meats - Trend toward Vacuum
Sealing in Jamaica to stretch Food Budget and reduce Refrigeration”.
Just like Rabbit Farming, it’s just for one person to start the venture
of growing the Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans) and introduce it to others, as was the case
with Marcus Garvey Technical High School planning to help other schools with
the rearing of Rabbits in the St. Anns Area and elsewhere as explained in my blog article entitled
“Marcus
Garvey Technical High School Rabbit Rearing Program - How the St. Ann School is
teaching Teenagers and Millenials about Modern Farming Techniques”.
Red
Lionfish (Pterois volitans) are carnivorous by nature,
making feeding them a matter of having a secondary pond to grow the fish and
other marine life that are then let into their area for feeding time. Thus
commercial weights of
2lb to 5lb for the Red Lionfish (Pterois
volitans) may be achievable within 2 to 3 weeks or less, making
them ready sale to Restaurants and eventually the Fast Food Restaurants that
want a regular supply of the rare yet poisonous delicacy!
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