Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) in partnership with Miami-Dade County Sea Grant Extension will be organizing a series of lionfish workshops open to the public for the Southeast Florida area. These workshops cover the history of the invasion, lionfish biology/ ecology/ impacts, how to safely collect and handle lionfish, lionfish venomology and first aid for stings, and recommended techniques for filleting lionfish.

          The first workshop of the series will be held Monday November 14th from 6:30 until 8:00 at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, in the Cosculluela Hall, located at 500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL. Belen has an active student scuba diving club that was eager to host this first workshop. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to sign up for one or both of the group lionfish collection dives that will be led by REEF Director of Special Projects and lionfish expert, Lad Akins. These dives will give workshop participants the opportunity to apply what they learned topside while gaining hands-on experience with lionfish removals.

         Future workshops and collection dives for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties will begin Spring of 2012 and will be posted on the REEF website ( www.reef.org ). Pre-registration for this workshop and future workshops is strongly encouraged. There is no cost to attend these lionfish workshops. For more information or to register for a workshop, please visit www.reef.org/lionfish/workshops