The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) 2026 Lionfish Challenge will kick off May 22 and run through Sept. 14. The challenge will feature several exciting new competition categories designed to recognize a wider range of participants and prize packages.

The previous Recreational and Commercial Champion titles have been replaced with the following awards:

Lionfish King: Top male participant in the recreational division.

Lionfish Queen: Top female participant in the recreational division.

Commercial Champion: Top participant in the commercial division.

Junior Harvester: Top recreational participant younger than age 18.

Veteran Champion: Top active-duty service member or military veteran in the recreational division.

The FWC Lionfish Challenge will also recognize its Top Supporter and Top FWC Lionfish Checkpoint Participant.

For more information on how to participate in the 2026 FWC Lionfish Challenge visit  ReefRangers.MyFWC.com/Lionfish-Challenge and to keep up with FWC lionfish program news, follow the FWC Reef Rangers at Facebook.com/FWCReefRangers.

“Lionfish derbies and the FWC Lionfish Challenge are a great way to help reduce lionfish numbers on coral reefs,” said Tony Hart, FWC Lionfish Outreach Coordinator. “Divers who participate are supporting conservation and doing their part to protect the vital marine resources in and around Florida’s waters.”

Lionfish are an invasive species with the potential to negatively impact native wildlife and habitats. A single female lionfish can release as many as 30,000 eggs every four days, enabling lionfish populations to grow rapidly, and outcompete native species for food and habitat. FWC encourages divers, anglers and commercial harvesters to remove lionfish in Florida waters to limit negative impacts to native marine life and ecosystems. To learn more about lionfish, visit MyFWC.com /Lionfish.

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