Florida Sets Lionfish Removal Record With 36K Catches in 2026
Florida removed a record 36,187 invasive lionfish during its 2026 Lionfish Challenge, as 533 registered participants joined the annual effort to limit the predator’s impact on native marine life. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced the results on Oct. 19, reporting more than 5,000 additional catches compared with the 2025 challenge. The […]
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recorded a record-breaking 36,187 invasive lionfish removals during the 2026 Lionfish Challenge. The competition, which ran from May 22 to September 14, drew 533 registered participants who completed 1,468 dive trips. Participants competed in various categories, including recreational, commercial, youth, and veteran divisions.
The FWC expanded the challenge to recognize six champions across six categories: Lionfish King, Lionfish Queen, Commercial Champion, Junior Champion, Veteran Champion, and Top Checkpoint. Awards were given based on the number of lionfish caught, weight harvested, or the participating location with the highest number of lionfish tails.
Hunter Ledbetter of Monroe County won two awards as Lionfish King with 1,541 catches and Veteran Champion as the leading military or veteran participant. Helen Rodney of Broward County won Lionfish Queen with 1,488 lionfish. David Garrett of Volusia County won the Commercial Champion title with 1,136 pounds of lionfish harvested.
Meagan Huffman of Texas earned the Junior Champion award with 185 fish. The Top Checkpoint award went to Dive Pros in Pensacola, which collected over 5,000 lionfish tails during the season. The FWC encourages the removal of lionfish from Florida waters to protect native marine species, maintain biodiversity, and preserve the health of marine ecosystems.
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- Florida Sets Lionfish Removal Record With 36K Catches in 2026 colombiaone.com
