The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) marked the 10th anniversary of its Lionfish Challenge in 2025, with more than 500 divers participating statewide. Over the course of the summer-long tournament, participants completed 1,104 dive trips and removed over 30,000 invasive lionfish from Florida waters.
The competition saw divers collecting lionfish and submitting them at various checkpoints across the state. Prizes were awarded based on the number of lionfish harvested.
Paul Carlson from Palm Beach County was named Lionfish King in the Recreational Division after removing 1,542 lionfish during 73 dive trips. Kris Anderson of Texas took second place with 1,098 lionfish over 36 trips, while Helen Rodney from Broward County secured third place by removing 962 lionfish.
In the Commercial Division, Donald Vautrinot of Walton County earned the title of Commercial Champion by harvesting 1,161.04 pounds of lionfish. Matt Myers from Jacksonville finished second with 803 pounds removed, and David Garrett from Volusia County took third place with a total removal of 754 pounds.
“Congratulations to our 2025 Lionfish King and Commercial Champion,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Executive Director Roger Young. “The diving community across our state plays a vital role in promoting conservation and raising awareness of this invasive species.”
Jessica McCawley, Director of FWC’s Division of Marine Fisheries Management, added: “Every year, we are blown away by the enthusiastic participation during the Lionfish Challenge. We want to extend our gratitude to all the 2025 participants for their dedication to a thriving and healthy Florida marine ecosystem.”
The FWC reports that an increasing number of lionfish tournaments reflect ongoing commitment among divers to conservation efforts in Florida. The agency encourages continued removal efforts by divers, anglers, and commercial harvesters to reduce negative impacts on native marine life.
The Lionfish Challenge is open to anyone in Florida at no cost. Participants receive prizes throughout the event based on their harvests and compete for titles such as Lionfish King/Queen or Commercial Champion.
For more information about lionfish management efforts or future tournaments, visit MyFWC.com/Lionfish or follow updates at Facebook.com/FWCreefrangers.
