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Awards were also given for 1st through 3rd place for the largest and smallest lionfish caught. Team Hang On brought in the largest fish at 446 mm. Butterfly Pixie Dust took top honors for smallest fish with a miniscule 43mm specimen.
The Jacksonville Beach based REEF Sanctioned event is one of dozens of similar lionfish removal events around the region. Teams of divers searched local waters with spears and hand nets, removing as many of the invasive lionfish as they can find. More than $5,000 in cash and prizes were awarded in first through third place for most, largest and smallest lionfish. The event also served to educate the public about invasive species issues, gather important scientific information on lionfish populations and their impacts and help promote the market by providing the public with a chance to see and taste this "superfish".
Walt Quinn, long-time Jacksonville diver and rodeo organizer, noted "The number of fish that came out of the water today was truly amazing. We owe the diving community and those that support this event a huge thanks." Lad Akins, Director of Special Projects for the non-profit marine conservation organization REEF, and a leading expert on the lionfish invasive added "The fact that a handful of divers can take out more than 2,500 invasive fish in a single day is both problematic and encouraging. This invasion is a problem not just here in Northeast Florida, but throughout the region and events like this are helping to address the problem. Kudos to Walt and the Jacksonville divers that joined in this effort." Hosted by Beach Marine and Nippers Grill, and sponsored by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Zookeeper LCU, Lionfish Atlantic, REEF and numerous local businesses, proceeds from the event benefit charities including the Downs Syndrome Association of Jacksonville and the Reef Environmental Education Foundation.
Lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific region, are an invasive species in the Tropical Western Atlantic and are causing significant negative impacts to native marine life throughout the region. According to Dr. Stephanie Green, Oregon State University researcher, some sites in the Bahamas have seen 65-95% declines in native fish in a two year period. Impacts to valuable food fish like grouper and snapper could cause damage to the economy and ecology of countries in the invaded range. Regular removals and removal events are showing promise however, in reducing local lionfish populations and sizes. Using scientific models, it is estimated that the 2,583 lionfish caught in this year's derby would have consumed between 4.2 million and 16.7 million prey fish in the following year had they not been removed.
For complete derby results and information on additional lionfish derbies throughout the region, visit www.REEF.org/lionfish/derbies
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