The Brave Lionfish Hunters of the Caribbean

The island of Curaçao faces a pressing environmental challenge: the invasion of the lionfish. With its striking red and white stripes, long fan-like fins, and fleshy tentacles, this species has an impressive appearance but a devastating impact on marine ecosystems.

Originally from the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the lionfish arrived in the Atlantic in the 1980s, possibly due to accidental releases from marine aquariums in Florida, USA. Since then, its population has expanded rapidly, reaching various tropical regions. In Brazil, the first recorded sighting occurred in 2020 in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, and since then, the species has been advancing along the northeastern coast.

The main concern with the lionfish is its rapid reproduction: a single female can release around two million eggs per year. Additionally, it preys on smaller native fish and organisms essential for coral reef health, causing significant ecological imbalance. Studies indicate that its presence can reduce local fish populations by up to 79%, impacting both dive tourism and commercial fishing.

Faced with this threat, two women from Curaçao decided to turn the problem into a solution. Helmi Smeulders, a former lawyer who switched careers to become a chef, and Lisette Keus, an experienced local diver, joined forces to combat the lionfish invasion in a creative and sustainable way.

Keus taught Smeulders and other women on the island how to locate and capture the species, promoting selective fishing to preserve the reefs. Additionally, she began instructing chefs on how to safely clean and prepare lionfish, encouraging its inclusion on local restaurant menus.

At first, public acceptance was challenging. Many people believed lionfish to be poisonous, when in fact, they are only venomous – their dorsal spines contain toxins that can cause intense pain and swelling, but their meat is completely safe to eat.

To overcome this barrier, Keus started raising awareness about the environmental impact of the species and the benefits of its fishing. Her efforts paid off: local restaurants began adopting lionfish in their menus, helping to control its population while offering an exotic and delicious ingredient to customers.

But the initiative didn’t stop there. Keus also sought ways to utilize the discarded parts of the fish, transforming its fins into artisanal jewelry. In 2016, she opened the Lionfish Caribbean store, where she sells handmade jewelry made from lionfish spines and promotes environmental education courses about the invasive species. Additionally, she created a small tasting room serving lionfish-based dishes, such as tacos and fried preparations, further popularizing its culinary use.

With the motto “We eat them to beat them,” Keus and Smeulders have proven that creativity and environmental awareness can go hand in hand. Their work inspires other divers and coastal communities to seek sustainable solutions for lionfish control, turning an ecological problem into a new opportunity for marine conservation.

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