Lionfish are on the FWC's invasive species hit list. What to know about the 2024 challenge

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
Updated ·2 min read

Whether on land or in the water, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is doing everything it can to persuade residents of Florida to help eradicate invasive species.

The latest effort starts Friday (May 24) with the annual Lionfish Challenge.

Lionfish have distinctive brown or maroon,and white stripes covering the head and body. They have fleshy tentacles above their eyes and below the mouth. The fish is invasive to Florida.
Lionfish have distinctive brown or maroon,and white stripes covering the head and body. They have fleshy tentacles above their eyes and below the mouth. The fish is invasive to Florida.

What to know about the 2024 Florida Lionfish Challenge

  • According to the FWC website, the Lionfish Challenge is a free summer-long lionfish tournament open to recreational and commercial competitors of all ages around the state of Florida.

  • More than 195,000 lionfish have been removed as a part of this challenge since it began in 2016.

  • This is the ninth year of the Lionfish Challenge. The goal remains the same: remove as many lionfish as we can in just three months.

2024 FWC Lionfish Challenge details

Timeline: May 24 to Sept. 2.

Categories: Participants will compete in either the commercial or the recreational division with grand prizes to the top competitors in each division.

Prizes will be awarded in tiers as follows:

  • Tier 1- Harvest 25 lionfish (recreational category) or 50 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

PRIZE: Tournament Shirt & Challenge Coin

  • Tier 2- Harvest 75 lionfish (recreational category) or 100 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

PRIZE: Hammerhead ole spear, gloves, & hat

  • Tier 3- Harvest 150 lionfish (recreational category) or 200 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

PRIZE: Yukon Backpack Dry bag, Zookeeper heat pack, & StingMaster sting cream

  • Tier 4- Harvest 300 lionfish (recreational category) or 400 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

PRIZE: Dive Rite dive light, Dexter filet knife, and 36oz Yeti water bottle

  • Tier 5- Harvest 600 lionfish (recreational category) or 800 pounds of lionfish (commercial category).

PRIZE: Turtlebox Speaker

Can you eat Lionfish?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

Once stripped of its venomous spines, cleaned, and filleted like any other fish, the lionfish becomes delectable seafood fare. NOAA scientists researching the lionfish’s spread and impact are now encouraging a seafood market as one way to mitigate the species’ impacts on reef communities.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: When is the 2024 FSW lionfish challenge and what are the prizes