2026 Captains Meeting and Kick-off Party

As part of the 2026 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival REEF will host the Derby Captains Meeting at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center, April 23, 2026. 

Participating teams can check-in starting at 5:00 and pick up shirts, permits and team packets. The presentation will be from 6:30-7:30 and will cover a general background about invasive lionfish, best collecting and handling practices and then the Derby rules and permits. The presentation is mandatory for the captain of each derby team, and is ipen to anyone intersted in learning more about invasive lionfish. 

2026 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival

Our 17th Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby will culminate in a family friendly Conservation Science and Arts Festival

Sunday April 26th - 12:00pm - 4:00pm at the REEF Campus - 98380 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037

Hands-on activities, interactive displays, educational games, and much more!

2025 Captains Meeting & Kick-off Party

As part of the 2025 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival REEF will host the Derby Captains Meeting at Florida Keys Brewing Company on Thursday, April 24, 2025. 

2026 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby

 

REEF's 17th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby will culminate on Sunday April 26, 2026 at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center. This will include a lionfish weigh-in, awards, and conservation science and arts festival open to the public.

Please contact lionfish@REEF.org with questions

Invaders on Tap: Lionfish Awareness Celebration

Brewing Awareness, Fighting Invaders!

Join us at Florida Keys Brewing Co. on Saturday, August 17, from 4pm-9pm for an exciting night of raising awareness about the threat of invasive lionfish! The event is free and open to the public and will include engaging activities, free lionfish tastings, live music, and family-friendly fun. 

2024 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival

Information for the 2025 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival will be posted soon! 

REEF's 15th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby will culminate Sunday August 18, 2024 at the lionfish weigh-in and awards at the REEF campus.

Please contact lionfish@REEF.org with questions

2023 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival

Team Registration Closed

2023 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival

2023 Florida Keys Lionfish Sweeps

Join REEFs 2023 Florida Keys Lionfish Sweeps! 

Steady removal of Lionfish from our local reefs can help protect native fish species & ensure a balanced ecosystem

Participants can remove Invasive Lionfish from April to June 2023 for entry into cash raffles & final cash prizes and donate the fish to REEF's Education & Outreach Programs

To Participate Drop off lionfish between April 1 to June 30, 2023 at:

REEF Campus, Key Largo, FL 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday each week

2022 Marathon Collecting & Handling Workshop

Register for REEF's Marathon Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshop

Wednesday, September 7 - Tilden's Scuba Center (Isla Bella Resort), 4650 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

2022 Looe Key Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshop

Register for REEF's Looe Key Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshop

Tuesday, September 6 - Looe Key Reef Resort, 27340 Overseas Hwy., Ramrod Key, FL 33042

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