A massive Florida fishing tournament with big cash prizes is targeting one of the state's invasive fish species. Officials are hopeful this will help quell the species similar to the annual python hunting competition.
The Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament is targeting the invasive lionfish species. It's the largest of its kind, and its aiming to popularize fishing the species for both sport and dining. The nonprofit Live Wildly Foundation spoke with WTTV about why they sponsored the event. According to Live Widly, the fishing tournament "encourages restaurants and their customers to discover the joy of eating lionfish."
The tournament itself happened in mid-May in Destin, Florida. Anglers could win up to $10,000 in cash prizes. Prizes were given based on the most caught, largest, and smallest fish.
Massive Fishing Tournamnet
"Florida's unique marine areas are not just beautiful, they also are the backbone of our tourism, commercial fishing, and outdoor recreation economies," said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. "Lionfish are an invasive species that pose a real threat to Florida's natural systems, native wildlife, and nature-based economy."
As part of the tournament, restaurants also sold a number of lionfish dishes as well. Diners compared to taste of the fish to black sea bass. So restaurants are hopeful that lionfish will prove to be a popular offering. Sarah Doss, a restaurant owner, told The Assembly: "They're venomous, they're invasive, and they're delicious."
Lionfish are invasive and can lay thousands of eggs. They are hazardous to the local environment, preying on other important fish and species in the region. With the fishing tournament, Florida has joined other places such as Costa Rica on hunting and dining on the fish. There's hope that this will help curb the species and prevent it from continuing to damage the environment. It's also just a fun time as well.
"Getting outdoors to catch lionfish is a great way to enjoy wild Florida while also keeping it healthy," Shipley added. "Restaurants that serve lionfish are not just providing great food to their customers; they're also helping keep Florida's marine systems strong and productive for residents, tourists, and local economies."
