Competitive divers and the broader community are invited to combat the invasive lionfish threatening South Florida’s coral reef ecosystems. The event starts Thursday, April 23, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with a captains’ meeting and kickoff party at Sharkey’s Sharkbite Grill, 522 Caribbean Dr., Key Largo. Registered derby teams will then take to the water Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, fishing from sunrise to sundown in an effort to remove as many lionfish as possible from South Florida reefs.
The weekend culminates Sunday, April 26, with a free, family-friendly conservation science and arts festival at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center, 98380 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, from noon to 4 p.m. Open to all ages, the festival features interactive exhibits, lionfish fillet and dissection demonstrations, free lionfish tastings, live music from Jake on the Lake, food trucks, science activities, local artists and vendors and the official derby awards ceremony. No registration is required to attend the festival.
Derby teams compete in one of two divisions: the Apex Predators division for more competitive participants and the Reef Defenders division for recreational divers. Prizes are awarded for the most, largest and smallest lionfish collected, and all teams are entered to win a $500 Golden Fish raffle award. Standard registration is $120 per team through April 23. Teams must consist of 2 to 4 divers.
Last year’s Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival removed 1,618 lionfish from South Florida reefs in just two days. More than 36,333 lionfish have been removed from local waters since the events began — fish that would otherwise prey on native species and disrupt the reef ecosystem.
“Every lionfish removed from a Florida reef is a win for our native ecosystem. This derby brings together some of the most passionate divers in our community for a cause that truly makes a measurable difference,” said Alli Candelmo, REEF director of conservation science. “We are incredibly grateful to the Ocean Reef Conservation Association and the Monroe County Tourism Development Council for their premier support, which makes this event and its conservation impact possible.”
More information is at www.reef.org/derby, via email to lionfish@reef.org or at 305-852-0030.
