Over 21 thousand lionfish were removed from Florida waters during this year's lionfish challenge

 Over 21 thousand lionfish were removed from Florida waters during this year's lionfish challenge.

The Challenge was held this summer.

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 Lionfish challenge was created to allow fishermen to remove as many lionfish from Florida waters as they can and to win prizes while doing it.

The Lionfish Challenge rewards harvesters with prizes for their lionfish removals.

This year 185 people submitted lionfish in the competition removing nearly 21,146 lionfish.

There were no local people in the winner's circle this year.

The First place Lionfish King was Brooks Feeser, Palm Beach County who removed 1,632 lionfish and the First place Commercial Champion was Rachel Bowman of Monroe County who removed 730 pounds of the invasive fish.

http://live.oysterradio.com/