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RetailWhole Foods

Why Whole Foods Is Selling an Invasive, Poisonous Fish

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
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May 26, 2016, 5:12 PM ET
Lionfish At Artisanal Foods
LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 19: A lionfish swims in a tank at Artisanal Foods on February 19, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Ethan Miller Getty Images

Whole Foods has started selling a typically poisonous fish to its customers.

The species, an invasive type of lionfish that’s causing problems in Florida, is having its poisonous spines removed by Whole Foods workers and is sold to customers in the region to cook, USA Today reported.

The grocery chain started selling the lionfish for $8.99/lb beginning this past Wednesday and is expected to raise the price to $9.99/lb on June 1.

The move to sell the invasive species at stores follows recommendations by the Florida Wildlife Commission to catch and cook the species which is native to Indo-Pacific waters.

In recent Whole Foods news, the company opened a cheap chain of grocery stores on Thursday called 365, which is debuting in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake.

The company said in a statement to USA Today that the fish has “white, buttery meat [that] lends itself to a number of different recipes.”

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
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Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

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