August 10, 2020 — The coronavirus has meant fewer people fishing and fewer divers spearing the invasive lionfish, which has led the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to extend its annual Lionfish Challenge.
Lionfish are a nonnative invasive species that have a potential negative impact on Florida’s native wildlife and habitat, according to the FWC.
The goal of the challenge is to encourage and reward recreational and commercial divers to remove lionfish from Florida waters, according to information provided by FWC. Winners in several categories were to be announced at the sixth annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day, but the 2020 event has been canceled; the next event is now scheduled for May 15-16, 2021.
As a result, the Lionfish Challenge was been extended, with participants now having until Nov. 1 to submit their lionfish.