Thursday, December 7, 2017

Private companies donate 25 K for new lionfish removal program

The state of Florida recently received 25 thousand dollars from 6 private companies to help remove lionfish from local waters.
Some of the donors include Yamaha, the Ameican Sportfishing Association and the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
Lionfish are a nonnative, invasive species that threaten Florida’s native saltwater fish and wildlife.
They were introduced into Florida waters in the late 1980s but their population has boomed in recent years – and that is causing real problems for native species in Florida waters.
The 25 thousand dollar donation will go to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to be used as cash prizes for a new lionfish removal incentive program to be held next summer.
The goal of the 2018 tagged-lionfish removal program is to increase statewide removal efforts by giving divers a greater incentive to harvest lionfish more often while in search of the valuable tagged fish.
Approximately six to eight lionfish will be tagged at each of 50 randomly-selected public artificial reef sites throughout the Atlantic and Gulf between the depths of 80 and 120 feet.

The program also will provide FWC with valuable data on the movement of lionfish.


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