25,000 Lionfish Caught in Annual Challenge Aimed to Eliminate Invasive Species — Florida

About 25,000 lionfish have been captured as part of the 2022 Lionfish Challenge in Florida in the hopes of denting the numbers of the invasive species.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said that exactly 25,299 lionfish were caught during the three-month challenge, which ran from May to September, which was the highest number since 2018.

There were 707 participants this year, which was a record number.

The venomous lionfish are an invasive species in Florida waters, but they are native to tropical waters in the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

They were discovered for the first time in Florida in the 1980s. Experts believe they were accidentally released or escaped from aquariums. The venomous species, which are becoming more prevalent off the coast of Florida, have a negative effect on local marine life.

Annual Lionfish Challenge, Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission organizes the annual lionfish challenge as a means of managing the rapidly growing population. The most successful competitors in the challenge will receive prizes.

Isaac Jones was this year's recreational division champion and dubbed the "Lionfish King." Jones caught who caught a total of 1,018 lionfish during the challenge. Baye Beauford finished second in this category with 863 lionfish.

Paul DeCuir won the competition by bringing in 1,092 pounds of lionfish, making him the winner in the commercial fishing category. Alex Fogg came in second with 1,090 pounds.

The only requirement for participants from across the state, including those from the hook and line method, is a recreational fishing license. Anyone can enter the lionfish tournament for free. One person is allowed to catch an unlimited number of lionfish for recreational or commercial purposes.

Lionfish can affect the numbers of native reef fish negatively by 79%, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, the government organization in charge of protecting the nation's ocean resources and their habitat.

Edible but Venomous

The species' preference for herbivorous fish species can reduce the number of fish that consume coral reef algae. This will allow algae to grow and the ecosystem may suffer as a result.

The lionfish are typically sold by commercial fishermen to a dealer who then markets them as food.

Although lionfish are a venomous species, scientists have found that using them in food markets is an effective way to control the population.

Ciguatera poisoning is a possible side effect of consuming the species, according to NOAA Fisheries. There haven't been any confirmed instances of lionfish poisoning, though. NOAA Fisheries will keep an eye on the circumstance, Newsweek reports.

Lionfish

The lionfish, a perennial showpiece in aquariums at homes, is a thriving invasive species in Caribbean and Southeast US coastal waters. Because it is a top predator and competes with overfished native stocks like snapper and grouper for food and habitat, this invasive fish has the potential to harm reef ecosystems, the National Ocean Service confirms.

The species is native to areas throughout Micronesia.

From Florida to North Carolina, lionfish sightings have been reported along the coast of the southeastern United States. Young lionfish have been found in the oceans off Bermuda and Long Island, New York. It's possible that lionfish, a common marine ornamental fish, were purposefully released into the Atlantic.