Miami Lionfish Derby

Kick off your summer by joining us for the Miami Lionfish Derby on June 10! We are excited to be hosting this event in partnership with Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. Thank you to Whole Foods Market® for sponsoring our 2018 Lionfish Derby Series. 

Below is a schedule of events for this weekend's Miami Lionfish Derby. We hope to see you there!

Friday, June 8: Captain's Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. This meeting is mandatory for all derby participants. 

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. 

Get Ready for the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival

We're counting down to the 2025 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival this April! This event uniquely combines invasive lionfish removal with vibrant local arts and conservation efforts, aiming to engage the community in ocean conservation through interactive and educational activities. Here's what to expect:

Putting It To Work: New Publication on Efforts to Control Invsive Lionfish

Ground-breaking invasive lionfish findings were featured in a paper published earlier this month in the scientific journal, Ecological Applications. The research was conducted as a collaboration between REEF, Oregon State University, Simon Fraser University, and the Cape Eleuthera Institute. The new study, conducted by Dr. Stephanie Green (OSU/REEF), Lad Akins (REEF), and others, confirms for the first time that controlling lionfish populations in the western Atlantic Ocean can pave the way for a recovery of native fish.
Red Lionfish - photo by Janna Nichols

Putting it to Work: REEF data used to identify species at risk as invasive lionfish expand

We are excited to share a new scientific paper that was published in the journal Global Change Biology last month. Researchers used REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project database to answer crucial questions about the impacts of invasive lionfish as their range expands into new areas, such as Brazil. It is well known that predation by lionfish affects native fish populations, and this impact is likely exacerbated in certain vulnerable species.

Invasive Lionfish Research Study with GO WEST Diving and Kura Hulanda Lodge


 Join REEF's fourth annual Lionfish Research Project to Curacao to document the establishment and consequences of invasive lionfish as part of REEF's ongoing effort to minimize the Indo-Pacific predator's impact on native fish populations. Participants will have an opportunity to be trained in lionfish collection and dissections of specimens to document prey.

Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival This Month!

It's Derby month! Join us as we gear up for an exciting week of conservation, invasive species removal, and artistic fun! The Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival combines local art, conservation science, and education all into one, can't-miss event! Here's an idea of what to expect:

April 23 – Kick-off Party & Captain's Meeting (5–7:30 PM)

Boynton Beach Rock the Marina & Lionfish Derby (REEF Sanctioned)

Thanks for your interest in 2019 Rock the Marina & Lionfish Derby, organized by Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency!

About the Derby: Sip a cocktail while enjoying “feel good reggae” music from South Florida’s most popular band, Spred the Dub, learn how to prep and cook lionfish, enjoy complimentary lionfish tastings, and learn about marine conservation and sustainability efforts that are taking place throughout the county.

REEF Team Makes Progress on NOAA-funded Deepwater Lionfish Trap Project

Many hands and minds make easy work when building lionfish traps! Over the past six months, REEF staff and interns have dived into the NOAA Saltonstall-Kennedy funded Deepwater Lionfish Trap Project, with partners including Tom Matthews, Emily Hutchinson and Sam Hagedorn (FWC), Steve Gittings (NOAA Marine Sanctuaries), Alex Fogg (Coast Watch Alliance), Holden Harris (University of Florida), Rachel Bowman, Peter Angelotti, ReefSave and Lionfish University.

Bigger Than Ever - Lionfish Research Continues

As many of you are aware, the recent invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfish into Atlantic waters has been causing great concern among researchers, marine park and fisheries managers, and divers. REEF, in partnership with Bahamian dive operators Stuart Cove and Bruce Purdy, NOAA, the USGS, the National Aquarium in Washington DC, the Bahamian Government and university groups, has spearheaded the field research for this rapidly expanding problem. 

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