Mark your calendars for the 15th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival on August 15-18! A Lionfish Derby is a competition where teams of divers and snorkelers compete to collect as many invasive lionfish as possible. REEF Lionfish Derbies educate the public about invasive species, gather important scientific information on lionfish populations, and promote a consumer market for lionfish.
Derby team registration is now open, and teams of two to four people may register online to compete in the derby. Registration is $90 per team through July 12, and increases to $120 per team afterwards. Teams may register in either the Apex Predators division (competitive, higher prize money) or Reef Defenders (casual, lower prize money.) Cash prizes will be awarded to the teams who collect the most, largest, and smallest lionfish.
There will be two full days of lionfish hunting on August 16 and 17. This year we are partnering with Florida Keys Brewing Company to host Invaders on Tap, a lionfish awareness celebration! Join us at the brewery from 4-9pm on August 17 for activities, vendors, food, live music, and fun for the whole family. On Sunday, August 18, there will be scoring, awards, educational demonstrations, games, lionfish tastings, and more at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, FL. Check out all the info at www.REEF.org/derby.
Want to learn more about invasive lionfish or brush up on your collecting skills? We will be organizing free Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshops before the derby. Stay tuned for more information and workshop dates. You can keep up with derby info and connect with other lionfish hunters by joining the REEF Invasive Lionfish Facebook Group.