Said to be the world's largest lionfish tournament, the Emerald Coast Open is more than just a competitive activity for divers. It's also a way to clear out tens of thousands of invasive fish from local waters. The 2025 Open in mid-May allowed divers from across the United States to catch and remove more than 20,000 lionfish from Florida waters, according to the Crestview News Bulletin.
The annual tournament invites fish divers to capture as many lionfish as they can while competing for "nearly $175,000 in cash and gear prizes," per the local news outlet. The tourney said the 2025 event saw 144 participants remove a total of 20,512 lionfish during pre-tournament activities and the main event.
The Destin-Fort Walton Beach area, where the event takes place, has one of the densest populations of lionfish. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, populations have risen significantly over the last several years. One female lionfish can lay an average of three million eggs per season.
They're certainly interesting and majestic-looking creatures, but they can wreak havoc on the reefs they tend to inhabit. They don't have many natural predators (except for each other) in the areas they invade, yet they prey on about 30 fish species in the region, including much larger fish. This can disrupt the local food chain and the marine ecosystem, threatening native species and weakening the health of coral reefs.
It can be tough to keep lionfish populations in check because they aren't commonly caught using traditional line-and-hook fishing methods. Instead, divers need to use nets or spears to catch lionfish. Fortunately, the Emerald Coast Open brings together divers who know how to do just that. "While this event continues to flourish, the opposite is happening for this invasive species," Alex Fogg, the Natural Resources Chief of Okaloosa County, told the Crestview News Bulletin.
The tournament also put captured lionfish to use. A two-day festival encourages vendors to serve up lionfish dishes, and Restaurant Week, which coincides with the tournament, has some of the most popular local restaurants featuring lionfish on their menus.
Similar events help keep other invasive species populations down around the world, including a competition in New South Wales, Australia, to address the overcrowding of carp. In Maryland, a fishing tournament focuses on reducing snakehead fish and blue catfish populations.
By turning an ecological threat into a local event, the Emerald Coast Open and similar festivities can help support the health of local marine life and boost conservation efforts. Engaging community members of all ages in the importance of protecting essential biodiversity from invasive species could be key to sustained, long-term success.
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