Florida wildlife officials are calling on the public to help fight the spread of one of the state's most infamous invasive species by hunting them.
The 2025 Lionfish Challenge kicks off May 24 and lasts through Sept. 14.
Hunters will be rewarded with prizes based on the number of fish they remove.
Lionfish were first seen in South Florida waters in 1985. They have no natural predators and feed aggressively on native fish, causing serious harm to reef habitats.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission created the summer-long tournament in 2014 to help remove lionfish from Florida waters.
Since its inception, more than one million have been eliminated.
READ MORE: Judge outlines steps Florida Department of Environmental Protection needs to take to aid manatees
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