October 9, 2024 — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s annual lionfish hunting competition just wrapped up, and it broke records for both attendance and results, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
The hundreds of divers who entered the competition had three-and-a-half months to catch as many of the invasive species as they could. When all was said and done, over 31,000 lionfish had been removed from Florida waters.
Lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific Sea and the Red Sea, first appeared off the coast of South Florida in 1985, per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Outside of their native habitat, the predatory species has been able to outcompete native species like snapper and grouper while also eating fish that serve important functions in maintaining coral reefs. Their presence has disrupted the entire ecosystem, which has led Florida (and other places) to get creative in enlisting the public’s help to control their populations.