Greek tourists urged to dine on alien fish
They may not have quite the same ring of familiarity as grilled calamari, but trumpetfish soup and lionfish ceviche could soon become staples on the menus of Greek tavernas if conservationists have their way.
The fish feature in an unusual new cookbook which aims to persuade tourists to tuck into exotic species along with their tzatziki and chilled white wine next time they are on holiday in the Aegean.
The fish are among dozens of alien species now thriving in the Mediterranean, having swum through the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean.
Many of the newcomers are prolific breeders and aggressive towards native species, which have no natural defences against the invaders.
They are now so well-established that it will be impossible to eradicate them, but conservationists say that if people can be persuaded to eat them, their numbers could be kept under control.
The book,
Recipes for Edible
Alien Species, has been published by the Cyclades Preservation Fund and iSea, two conservation organisations.
“Alien species are today considered one of the greatest threats to marine ecosystems,” writes Argyro Zenetou, director of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, in the book’s preface.
Greek chefs have paired exotic species such as rabbitfish with classic Mediterranean in gredients: olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and parsley.
Recipes include linguine with lionfish sauce, and rabbitfish fillet with pepper and paprika.
Eating non-native species is a “win-win” because an alien creature is removed from the marine environment and local fishermen can make a living, Cyclades Preservation Fund director Anni Mitropoulou said.
A campaign called Pick the Alien encourages diners to choose exotic species from menus, thus taking pressure off heavily fished Mediterranean species such as sea bream, swordfish and tuna.
The campaign is being launched in Santorini, Zakynthos, Paros and Amorgos.