Although the Emerald Coast Open, which coincided with the fifth annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival, is over, there is still a chance to win prizes through the 2019 Lionfish Challenge, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.
The removal incentive program began Saturday, May 18, on Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day and runs through Labor Day, which is Sept. 2.
This year, as part of FWC's Lionfish Challenge, participants who submit the largest and smallest lionfish may be eligible to receive up to $3,000 in cash prizes.
Click here for more details on how to get rewarded for your harvest.
On Saturday, more than 19,000 lionfish were removed from the Gulf and Atlantic waters as part of the Emerald Coast Open, according to FWC.
Wildlife officials said 19,167 of the spiny invasive predators were removed as part of the tournament, which coincided with the fifth annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival at AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar and HarborWalk Village in Destin last weekend.
The FWC worked with the Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau on the tournament and the festival.