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The article discusses the red lionfish and efforts in the U.S. to exterminate it. An invasive species, the lionfish devours crabs, shrimp, and various fish as it breeds in ocean waters from the Bahamas to the Carolinas. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has issued licenses to scuba divers to kill lionfish.

The article reports the move by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as of May 2016 to host the Lionfish Challenge competition, in which participants will capture, kill and eat lionfish.

With its dark red and black stripes, spotted fins and long venomous black spikes, the lionfish seems better suited for horror films than consumption. But lionfish fritters and filets may be on American tables soon. An invasive species, the lionfish is devastating reef fish populations along the Florida coast and into the Caribbean. Now, an increasing number of environmentalists, consumer groups and scientists are seriously testing a novel solution to control it and other aquatic invasive species -- one that would also takes pressure off depleted ocean fish stocks: they want Americans to step up to their plates and start eating invasive critters in large numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]