Serving conservation from reef to plate: Barriers and opportunities for invasive lionfish consumption in restaurants

Abstract

Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans, Pterois miles), introduced to Florida in the 1980s, colonized coral reef ecosystems in the western Atlantic and have been documented beyond recreational diving depths. In addition to threatening coral reef ecosystems, invasive lionfish have been linked to economic damage in the form of reduced native fish yields for local fishers and high management costs incurred in the physical removal of lionfish. While few examples exist of successful management of marine invasive species, studies show that lionfish removal can mitigate their harmful impacts. One promising market‐based approach that offers benefits to both human livelihoods and marine ecosystems is increasing the demand for the consumption of lionfish. This study focuses on Florida's consumptive lionfish market and fills a gap in understanding of the lionfish supply chain for Florida's restaurant industry. Twenty culinary professionals in Florida were interviewed to determine their perceptions of barriers and opportunities for increasing their use of lionfish. The most commonly identified barriers were price and consistency of supply, while the most prominent opportunities were improved awareness and culinary potential. Conservation managers, culinary professionals and policymakers should leverage these findings to facilitate opportunities, address barriers and promote public education about invasive lionfish and their impacts.