Lionfish Challenge: July 30, 2020 Update
NEW: The Lionfish Challenge has been extended. Participants will now have until Nov. 1, 2020 to submit their lionfish.
Numbers Update:
558 people have registered.
113 people have submitted lionfish (105 recreational, 8 commercial).
4,718 lionfish submitted.
46 checkpoints for recreational participant submissions.
Recent Mini-Challenge Winners (raffle of first 25 Qualifying Participants); prize - YETI Panga Dry Backpack:
Chris Campbell
Sarah Peirce
Michael Curry
The Largest Lionfish; prize - Shearwater Perdix Dive Computer:
Josh Livingston - 408 mm lionfish!
Recent Raffle Winners; prizes - Reef Ranger’s customized FWC Lionfish long-sleeve Dry Fit shirt and 36-ounce Yeti Rambler bottle:
Clint Retherford
Mark Eglington
Trey Lockey
Daniel Fico
Upcoming Raffle Drawings; All qualified participants (submission of 20 lionfish or 20 pounds for commercial) will be entered into drawings:
Aug. 5 – four winners
Aug. 19 – two winners
Sept. 2 – two winners
Sept. 16 – two winners
Sept. 30 – two winners
Oct. 14 – four winners
Oct. 28 – four winners
Lionfish Challenge background:
Lionfish - red lionfish (pterois volitans) and devil firefish (pterois miles) - are an invasive species that have the potential to negatively impact native wildlife and habitat.
The FWC encourages divers, anglers and commercial harvesters to remove lionfish in Florida waters to limit negative impacts to native marine life and ecosystems.
The Lionfish Challenge rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for their lionfish removals. The participants who harvest the most lionfish will be crowned the Recreational Lionfish King/Queen and the Commercial Champion.
The Challenge also has a tiered prize system that allows everyone to be rewarded for their removals. The more removals, the more prizes you win. A new component this year will be monthly Mini-Challenges. The winners will be announced each month and rewarded with substantial prizes.
Sign up and learn more today by visiting MyFWC.com/Lionfish.
Support Florida lionfish control programs by purchasing the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida's Lionfish hat for $20 at wildlifeflorida.com/node/350.
For additional information, please visit:
facebook.com/fwcreefrangers/
fwcreefrangers.com/?utm_content&utm_name&utm_term=campaign
myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lionfish/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=campaign