Summer-long Lionfish Challenge kicks off this weekend: FWC

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Lionfish Challenge is back for the ninth year this summer for all Floridians to take part in, and even win prizes.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that the summer-long tournament will be held from May 24 through Sept. 2, with a goal to remove lionfish from Florida waters.

The challenge is divided into two groups: commercial and recreational divisions. Participants in both divisions will compete with one another to harvest the most pounds or aggregate lionfish throughout the three months.

Recreational divers are instructed to remove the tail from their harvests and submit them to participating checkpoints for verification, while commercial harvesters can submit copies of their trip tickets for lionfish sales.

Prizes will be rewarded across five tiers:

• Tier 1: Harvest 25 lionfish (recreational) or 50 pounds of lionfish (commercial)
• Tier 2: Harvest 75 lionfish (recreational) or 100 pounds of lionfish (commercial)
• Tier 3: Harvest 150 lionfish (recreational) or 200 pounds of lionfish (commercial)
• Tier 4: Harvest 300 lionfish (recreational) or 400 pounds of lionfish (commercial)
• Tier 5: Harvest 600 lionfish (recreational) or 800 pounds of lionfish (commercial)

Along with the tiers, the FWC will either crown a Lionfish King or Queen, or Commercial Champion. Raffle prizes, mini-challenges, grand prizes and resource-based rewards will also be among the incentives.

Since 2016, more than 195,000 lionfish have been removed.

Registration is free, but required. To register for the tournament, click here . For additional rules and regulations, click here .

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