Divers successfully removed 675 invasive lionfish from Florida Keys waters on August 20, during the upper Florida Keys derby of the Second Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby Series in Key Largo, Fla., organized by Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) and the FL Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS).
A good time was had by all who participated in the Third Annual Lionfish Derby at Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas on June 24th and 25th, 2011. The event was held at the Green Turtle Club, whose sponsorship, along with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Brendals Dive Center, REEF and numerous donors from Palm Beach County, Florida make this one of the most exciting competitions of the summer.
Approximately 100 divers collected 534 Indo-Pacific red lionfish during the first tournament dedicated to reducing the population of the invasive species in the Florida Keys waters.
The September 11 tournament in Key Largo, organized by REEF and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, is the first of three Keys-based lionfish roundups. The event attracted 27 teams which competed for cash and prizes to collect the most, largest and smallest lionfish.
Divers will return to Florida Keys waters next month on a mission: net thousands of dollars in cash and prizes while protecting the environment from invasive lionfish.
Divers successfully removed 531 invasive lionfish from Florida Keys waters on May 14, during the first event of the Second Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby Series in Long Key, Fla., organized by Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF).
NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in partnership with Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), will host an inaugural series of lionfish derbies starting in September. Divers who remove lionfish from sanctuary waters will be eligible for more than $10,000 in cash and prizes.
For Immediate Release
July 12, 2011
The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) announces the release of “The Lionfish Cookbook”, a collection of 45 delicious recipes designed to encourage the removal and consumption of invasive lionfish in the Atlantic. Lionfish have a delicate, mild-flavored, white meat and are considered a delicacy.
REEF is offering a lionfish workshop on June 15th at the Key Largo Library from 6:30 to about 8:00. All workshop participants will be eligible for a federal permit to collect lionfish, with nets or slurguns, from the no-take zones, the Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs) in the FL Keys National Marine Sanctuary using nets. The permits will be issued a week or two following the workshop.
This workshop is intended for dive professionals and avid recreational divers interested in obtaining a permit to collect lionfish in the Sanctuary Preservation Areas. These workshops are sponsored by REEF and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The workshop presentation will cover the history and progression of the invasion, an overview of lionfish biology and ecology, safe handling and collection techniques, and first aid.
More information at www.REEF.org/lionfish/workshops.