Florida’s annual Lionfish Challenge opens today

WFSU | By Gina Jordan

Published May 20, 2022 at 2:11 PM EDT

Lionfish are pretty, but they present a huge problem for Florida's native marine life.

Florida’s annual Lionfish Challenge begins today and lasts all summer.

Through September 6^th, the free tournament rewards participants for removing invasive lionfish from Florida waters.

Prizes are awarded to recreational and commercial divers based on the numbers harvested and the overall weight.

Lionfish were first reported off the coast of Florida in the mid 1980’s. They reproduce quickly and compete with native marine life for food and habitat. They also have no natural predators in Florida waters.

Click here to register for the Lionfish Challenge.

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Gina Jordan

Gina Jordanis the host of Morning Edition for WFSU News. Gina is a Tallahassee native and graduate of Florida State University. She spent 15 years working in news/talk and country radio in Orlando before becoming a reporter and All Things Considered host for WFSU in 2008. She left after a few years to spend more time with her son, working part-time as the capital reporter/producer for WLRN Public Media in Miami and as a drama teacher at Young Actors Theatre. She also blogged and reported for StateImpact Florida, an NPR education project, and produced podcasts and articles for AVISIAN Publishing. Gina has won awards for features, breaking news coverage, and newscasts from contests including the Associated Press, Green Eyeshade, and Murrow Awards. Gina is on the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Board of Directors. Gina is thrilled to be back at WFSU! In her free time, she likes to read, travel, and watch her son play football. Follow Gina Jordan on Twitter: @hearyourthought