DPNR Identifies Lionfish as Possible Export for Local Fishermen

Lawmakers nibbled at the idea of exploring the exportation of lionfish, a local, tasty and readily available catch.

Top representatives from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) and its Division of Fish and Wildlife appeared before the Senate’s Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture on June 21st to provide an update for its current operations, projects and initiatives.

Senator Alma Francis Heyliger asked about the prospect of exporting locally caught fish as a means to support local fishermen while simultaneously adding value to the USVI’s economy and tourism product.

“I think personally, what probably would make a great export product is lionfish,” said DPNR Commissoner Jean Pierre L. Oriol. “You go to a nice restaurant; you see Chilean sea bass. And people are like: ‘oh!’ And they want to pay like $80 a plate for it. Well, let's send some lionfish to Minnesota and they can say that it was lionfish from the Caribbean. And they can sell that for $80.”

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the rugged looking lionfish is classified as an invasive species, according to Oriol, which means it could potentially harm the surrounding ecosystem. Since it has no natural predator, it has poses less harm to species that rank higher up in the food chain. The lionfish also happens to reproduce in great numbers. The good part? It’s quite "tasty," according to Commissioner Oriol.

Intrigued by the idea of a local export, Sen. Francis Heyliger supported further exploration of the idea and suggested further studies for lionfish as a USVI export citing the wide-ranging benefits.

“I'm looking at it holistically across the board,” said Sen. Francis Heyliger. “When it comes to tourism, marketing, economic growth. I'm looking at all these things because as a senator, I have to look at ways as to how we can grow economically. And when it comes to our fishermen, and like you say farming, that is an area that I think we need to tap into a lot more and really push those industries forward.”