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Lionfish Challenge 2023

Lionfish Challenge

Goal

  • To encourage and reward recreational and commercial divers to remove lionfish from Florida waters.

Timeline 

  • June 1, 2023 to October 1, 2023

Overview

  • Statewide program
  • Recreational and commercial participant categories
  • Checkpoints located statewide for harvest submission
  • Tiered prize system to encourage continued harvest

How to Register

  • All participants required to register at FWCReefRangers.com
  • Participants may only qualify for one category (recreational or commercial).
    • Participants with an active Saltwater Products License and commercial lionfish sales within the last year must register for the commercial category.

How to Submit Your Catch

Instructions for Commercial Divers:

  • After harvesting your lionfish, sell them to a licensed wholesale dealer and get a copy of your trip ticket verifying the commercial sale.
  • After obtaining your trip ticket, complete a Commercial Trip Ticket Submission here
    • Trip ticket submission is completed through an online form on our Reef Rangers website (similar to the form you filled out when registering for the Challenge)

Instructions for Recreational Divers:

  • After harvesting your lionfish, remove tails leaving a bit of meat attached and place in a plastic sandwich bag(s)
  • Label bag(s) with harvester name, phone number, date of harvest and number of tails
  • Bring tails and a tail verification form to a local Checkpoint for verification of harvest
    • The Checkpoint will count your tails, sign your verification form, and return the form to you.
    • Checkpoints will keep the tails for our records.
    • Checkpoint locations and verification forms can be found on our website: FWCReefRangers.com
  • After verifying your tails at a Checkpoint, you may complete a Recreational Tail Submission here.
    • Tail submission is completed through an online form on our website (similar to the form you filled out when registering for the Challenge).

 

 Rewards

Prizes will be awarded in a tiered fashion- the more lionfish you submit, the more prizes you receive! The requirements for each tier are as follows (Note- more information on prizes will be announced later)

  • Tier 1- Harvest 25 lionfish (recreational category) or 50 lbs of lionfish (commercial category)
  • Tier 2- Harvest 75 lionfish (recreational category) or 250 lbs of lionfish (commercial category)
  • Tier 3- Harvest 250 lionfish (recreational category) or 500 lbs of lionfish (commercial category)
  • Tier 4- Harvest 500 lionfish (recreational category) or 1000 lbs of lionfish (commercial category)

 

Resource-based Incentives:

Those who reach Tier 1 will be awarded a commemorative 2023 Lionfish Challenge Coin. This coin allows the harvester to retain 1 extra spiny lobster each day during the 2023 Sport Season (July 26th and 27th, 2023)

  • Harvester must have 2023 commemorative coin in possession to harvest and possess extra spiny lobster.
  • Only 1 coin may be used per harvester.
  • Coins from previous years are not eligible for the 2023 Sport Season.

 

Raffle Prizes:

Harvesters who reach Tier 1 before the raffle drawing date are automatically entered into the raffles

  • Harvesters can only win one raffle prize during the 2023 Lionfish Challenge.
  • Raffle prizes will be announced as items are donated
  • Raffle drawing dates:
    • June 30th - 2 winners
    • July 28th – 4 winners
    • August 25th – 4 winners
    • September 22nd – 2 winners

 

Registration Form

All participants must register for the 2023 Lionfish Challenge prior to submitting lionfish to the program. The 2023 registration form is now available at FWCReefRangers.com.

Remember to keep your registration number to keep track of submissions.

And please remember to Stash the Trash!