Many people are concerned about the growing number of lionfish in the Atlantic Ocean. These fish are not supposed to be there. They eat many other fish and have no enemies to keep their numbers down. This is bad for the ocean’s health.
To fix this problem, two men named Dave Johnson and Gary Groomes started a business called Traditional Fisheries. They wanted to catch these lionfish and sell them for people to eat. They thought this would help reduce the number of lionfish and give people a new kind of fish to enjoy.
They went on a TV show called Shark Tank to ask for money to help their business grow. Dave and Gary wanted $225,000 for 25% of their company. Did the entrepreneurs get a deal on Shark Tank? Check out our Traditional Fisheries update to find out!
Traditional Fisheries Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Thomas and Daniel Cook went on Shark Tank asking for $225,000 for 25% of their company. This meant they thought their business was worth $900,000. They did not make a deal with any Shark. The episode was aired on March 22, 2013. The company failed to launch commercially and is now inactive. The current net worth of Traditional Fisheries is $0 in 2025.
After appearing on Shark Tank, the company faced challenges. They did not get the investment they hoped for on the show. A few months later, the business closed down. Even though their company didn’t last, their idea made people think about new ways to deal with the lionfish problem.
Today, stores like Publix and Whole Foods sell lionfish filets. This shows that their idea of eating lionfish to control their numbers is still important. On Shark Tank, Dave and Gary asked for $225,000 in exchange for 25% of their company.
They explained their plan to catch and sell lionfish to help the environment. The sharks liked the taste of the lionfish they tried. But they were worried about how hard it would be to get people to buy and eat lionfish. Because of these concerns, none of the sharks offered a deal.
| Shark(s) name | Lori Greiner | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
| Lori Griener | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Robert Herjavec | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Kevin O’Leary | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Daymond John | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Mark Cuban | Out | N/A | N/A |
Traditional Fisheries Shark Tank pitch
Dave Johnson and Gary Groomes loved the ocean. They saw that lionfish were causing big problems in the Atlantic. These fish were eating many other fish and had no natural enemies. Dave and Gary wanted to help fix this. They thought that if people started eating lionfish, it would help reduce their numbers. This led them to start Traditional Fisheries.
Their goal was to catch lionfish and sell them as food. They believed this would help the ocean and give people a new tasty fish to eat.
When Dave and Gary went on Shark Tank, they wanted $225,000 for 25% of their company. They started by talking about the lionfish problem. They explained how these fish were harming the ocean. Then, they shared their plan to catch and sell lionfish for people to eat. To show that lionfish taste good, they gave the sharks some cooked lionfish to try.
The sharks liked the taste. Dave and Gary believed that by making lionfish a popular food, they could help the environment and build a successful business. Keep reading our Traditional Fisheries update to see what happens next!
The sharks had many questions.
Robert Herjavec asked how people would learn about the lionfish problem. Dave and Gary said that teaching people was a big challenge.
Kevin O’Leary wanted to know how long it would take to get people to start eating lionfish. Dave and Gary admitted it could take time.
Daymond John asked about their sales. They said they had made $12,000 that year.
The sharks were concerned about how hard it would be to get people to buy and eat lionfish. They also worried about the costs and time needed to make the business successful.
Each shark shared their thoughts.
Robert Herjavec said it would be hard to get people to accept eating lionfish, so he decided not to invest.
Kevin O’Leary thought it would take too long to make lionfish popular, so he was out.
Daymond John believed that $225,000 wasn’t enough to solve the problem, so he didn’t invest.
Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner also chose not to invest because they thought it would be too hard to get people to eat lionfish.
In the end, none of the sharks made a deal with Dave and Gary.
What Went Wrong With Traditional Fisheries On Shark Tank?
Traditional Fisheries faced several challenges on Shark Tank. The main problem was that people didn’t know much about lionfish or why eating them could help the environment. The sharks were worried about how hard and expensive it would be to teach people and get them to buy lionfish. They also thought it would take a long time to make lionfish a popular food. Because of these concerns, the sharks didn’t feel comfortable investing in the company.
Product Availability
From our Traditional Fisheries update research, after the company closed, the idea of eating lionfish continued. Today, stores like Publix and Whole Foods sell lionfish filets. This means people can buy and cook lionfish at home. There are also online stores that sell lionfish. The price is similar to other popular fish like snapper or grouper. This shows that the idea of eating lionfish to help the environment is still important and growing.
Conclusion
Traditional Fisheries had a big idea: to help the ocean by getting people to eat lionfish. Even though they didn’t get a deal on Shark Tank and their business closed, their idea made a difference. Today, more people know about the lionfish problem and are choosing to eat lionfish. This helps reduce the number of these invasive fish and protect the ocean.
The journey of Traditional Fisheries shows how one idea can lead to change, even if the original plan doesn’t work out. We will continue to watch how the effort to control lionfish by eating them grows and changes in the future.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib an undergraduate student of Bachelors in Business Administration. Shark Tank is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The show provides a fascinating insight into the world of entrepreneurship by presenting creative solutions to common problems, which strongly connects to my academic interests. I’m interested in learning more about the strategic thinking and creativity that lead these companies as each pitch provides insightful information. I’ve found that watching Shark Tank has inspired my enthusiasm for business and entrepreneurship and has been a very enlightening and motivating experience. Apart from business and writing, I love food, shopping, and hanging out with friends and family. Read more About me.
