Lionfish

Saltwater Offshore Discussion
1

Ladies and Gents,
I’ve had lots of questions about regulations and laws on lionfish lately, so I figured I’d sort out the most asked: can a diver/fisherman catch and sell lionfish? Answer - Yes. With the purchase of your commercial license (previously land-sell). This will cost you $25 plus $10 for your gear license (rod and reel or spear). So for $35, a fisherman can now sell his lionfish catch to a licensed wholesale dealer. Since lionfish aren’t federally regulated, no federal license is required. I don’t foresee SAFMC regulating them in the near future either. With SAFMC operating as is, they would most certainly regulate to optimize numbers, which doesn’t make sense.

Bottom line - get started killing and selling your lionfish today. I hope the restaurants and dealers catch on and start utilizing this fish. We’ll likely never stop them, but we can help hold them back. For those of you who hunt, think wild hog management.

2

They are very tasty…very white meat,right up there with hog snapper…

I use scissors to cut off all the spines and fins and then dehook them into the fish box…

3

Thanks Mr. Goldfinch, they are selling them now at Sea Eagle Seafood in Beaufort, SC.

Price at store was $8.99lb whole last weekend.

NN

07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys

“Coastal Bound”

www.joinrfa.org/

4

Thanks Representative Goldfinch! So happy to have a fisherman in office!

Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!

5

Can you catch them hook and line? Or only spear? What I mean is how are they normally caught?

fish today work tomorrow
The Bi Polar Express
Sportsman Masters 227

6

Read it again, yes, rod and reel is fine.

NN

07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys

“Coastal Bound”

www.joinrfa.org/

7
quote:
Originally posted by chickenhawk 26

Can you catch them hook and line? Or only spear? What I mean is how are they normally caught?

fish today work tomorrow
The Bi Polar Express
Sportsman Masters 227

Targeting them with rod and reel would be tough. You’d have to get your bait through the BSB and that’s asking a lot. Most of the time when they are caught on R&R it’s incidental or accidental. But it does happen. Spearos, however, should be killing them when opportunities arise.

Stephen Goldfinch
“Sleep When You’re Dead!”

8

I gotta an answer for all::
Stephen do you know an Alex who may have asked this question yesterday?? If so hi from what I know to sell commercially yes you need a commercial lic as well as a land and sell permit. But if your targeting just lions no I wouldn’t think you’d need a buy any other permit. If I understand it correctly.
–yes lions are caught as by-catch to grpr /snapper fishing as well as scorpionfish ,another really great tasting fish. The thing about hook and line is like what was already said A yes gotta get thru the porgies and Bsbs, then you just gotta be in that right spot. The grpr guys don’t catch many. In a 4 day trip they may get 20-30lbs. But a diver has brought me as much as 300lbs and I sold them in 4 days. Yes here in charleston.
–someone asked about the guy who sells to Sea Eagle. He’s just a rec diver who has commercial licensing just to pay for the gas he told me. It’s not his job. He works a real job but sells to pay for gas on offshore trips. Actually it’s not a bad idea, I mean if nothing else you can kill lions and pay for the gas. I’ll buy everyone. I even know a few Fishhouses who will buy all your fish. If you’d like info on diver BC me
– I will buy EVERY lion. But I’m not buying from “Joey Clams” down the street who has a box full. No, won’t jepordize my business. Get the licenses and then we’ll talk.
– hogfish someone said. Yes plz. Grabb those up. Plz don’t shoot the small ones. Get the big boys with some shoulders.
–Mac if you see this, sorry if I misspoken ahead of time for your fishing practices. This is the way I took it

There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. ~Steven Wright

9

Not all fish markets are wholesale dealers. They must have an offshore finfish book that has to be filled out with trip data and fisherman info to be legal. Call Amy Dukes at Dnr to find out who you can legally sell to as I can’t think of one restaurant that is legally a wholesaler.

.
PROUD YANKEE

Oyster Baron

NMFS = No More Fishing Season

“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”

10
quote:
Originally posted by chefparrothead

– hogfish someone said. Yes plz. Grabb those up. Plz don’t shoot the small ones. Get the big boys with some shoulders.

Those are federally managed, and you would need a federal permit for those, which is in a moratorium and usually takes about $30K to get you into that permit.
11
quote:
Originally posted by skinneej

[quote]Originally posted by chefparrothead

–usually takes about $30K to get you into that permit.

Dayum! Onw question, how do you safely handle lion fish?

  • I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.

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12
quote:
Originally posted by jimmyaadams
quote:
Originally posted by skinneej

[quote]Originally posted by chefparrothead

–usually takes about $30K to get you into that permit.

Dayum! Onw question, how do you safely handle lion fish?

  • I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.

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There are a few ways (as a diver) to safely handle them. First of all, some people are allergic to them and some aren’t. Very similar to bees. When I get stung, it’s similar to a bee sting, and nothing more. Pain subsides in about 10 mins. When a buddy of mine gets stung, his whole arm swells and he has to apply heat and pressure. But back to the question: A pair of kitchen/EMT snips works well to clip the spines. Divers can also buy specialized bags, similar to that of lobster bags, that have a one way door and material that prevents spines poking through. That’s probably the fastest method.

Stephen Goldfinch
“Sleep When You’re Dead!”

13

So is there any legal way to sell them directly to the restaurants? I’m getting asked by some local eateries that want to extend the farm-to-table movement to the sea.

26 Seahunt
Angler’s Dream

14

You can only sell to someone with a wholesale license end of story! Most local fish houses will not buy from recreational fishermen because they do not carry enough ice, handling practices on Fish are bad, and they are ultimately responsible if somebody get sick from histamine poisoning. Trip tickets need to be filled out on all fish that are sold. If you want more clarification call Amy Dukes at Dnr and I promise she will set you straight!

.
PROUD YANKEE

Oyster Baron

NMFS = No More Fishing Season

“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”

15

Guess I’ll stick to leaving mortally wounded lionfish scattered all over the reefs.

26 Seahunt
Angler’s Dream

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Eat them they are very good…

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SECTION 50-5-365. Licensing requirements applicable to sale or transportation of live or fresh fish or saltwater fishery products; penalties.

(A) A person or entity who:

(1) offers for sale any live or fresh fish or any saltwater fishery products, other than a licensed commercial saltwater fisherman licensed as a wholesale seafood dealer; or

(2) transports live or fresh fish or any saltwater fishery products, other than a licensed commercial saltwater fisherman transporting his catch to a licensed wholesale seafood dealer;

must have in his possession dated bills of lading, invoices, receipts, bills of sale, or similar documents showing the quantity of each species and type of saltwater fishery product being offered for sale or transported and the name of the licensed commercial saltwater fisherman or licensed wholesale seafood dealer from whom the products were purchased or received.

(B) A person or entity including a licensed commercial saltwater fisherman who takes saltwater fishery products and sells the catch must sell the catch only to a wholesale seafood dealer licensed under this section or else he must be licensed as a wholesale seafood dealer under this section.

(C) Without having obtained a valid wholesale seafood dealer license it is unlawful to:

(1) buy or receive at other than retail live or fresh fish or any saltwater fishery products taken or landed in this State;

(2) sell or offer fish or products for sale at other than retail or as allowed in subsection (B); or

(3) transfer, ship, pack, or consign fish or products.

(D) It is unlawful to purchase live or fresh fish or any saltwater products taken or landed in this State at other than retail from a person other than a licensed wholesale seafood dealer, provided:

(1) the fish or product may be purchased for use as bait from a licensed bait dealer; and

(2) a licensed wholesale seafood dealer may purchase from a licensed commercial saltwater fisherman.

(E) It is unlawful for a person or enti

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H4J5QDQeA4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLec58Z1Q3k

http://www.sustainablefishing.org/

www.joinrfa.com

Luke 8:22-25

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Have any of you ever thrown a lionfish carcass, or parts, back into the water?

SC CODE SECTION 50-5-45. Maintenance and publication of nonindigenous organisms list; introduction of organisms prohibited.

(A) The department shall maintain and publish a list of any species, varieties, or strains of nonindigenous organisms known or suspected to present an adverse impact to fish or marine resources of this State. The list shall include the common and scientific name and the actual or potential adverse impact of each organism.

(B) It is unlawful:

(1) to place in the salt waters of this State, or in privately owned waters directly connected to salt waters of this State, any live, fresh, or frozen whole, part, or product of any listed organism; or

(2) to sell or offer for sale as bait, any live, fresh, or frozen whole, part, or product of any listed organism.

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/invasiveweeds/aisfiles/SCAISplan.pdf

OOPS Have you broken the law or not?

:flushed:

So… I wonder if a lionfish is a “saltwater fisheries product” or a “nonindigenous organism known or suspected to present an adverse impact to fish or marine resources of this State?”

You decide which one and if it makes any difference.

What’s the law intending to do or prohibit with respect to each type of fish, and why?

http://www.sustainablefishing.org/

www.joinrfa.com

Luke 8:22-25

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That thing looks like beast from Tremors