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Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Conclude Record-Breaking 7th Annual Lionfish Challenge

By  //  September 18, 2022

This year’s tournament boasted a total of 707 registered participants

The seventh annual Lionfish Challenge came to a close on Sept. 6, and the competition was stiff until the very end. This year’s tournament boasted a total of 707 registered participants, the most in the program’s history. 196 divers conducted a total of 676 trips throughout the state during the 3-month tournament and brought in a whopping 25,299 lionfish. (FWC image)

(FWC) – The seventh annual Lionfish Challenge came to a close on Sept. 6, and the competition was stiff until the very end.

Participants in this year’s tournament broke several records in their quest to earn the title of Lionfish King or Queen and Commercial Champion.

This year’s tournament boasted a total of 707 registered participants, the most in the program’s history: 196 divers conducted a total of 676 trips throughout the state during the 3-month tournament and brought in a whopping 25,299 lionfish.

This is the highest tournament total since 2018. In the end, though, two participants prevailed.

Commercial Champion (First place Commercial Division): Paul DeCuir – 1,092 pounds of lionfish. (FWC image)

Here are the winners of the 2022 Lionfish Challenge:

■ Lionfish King (First place Recreational Division): Isaac Jones – 1,018 lionfish

■ Second place Recreational Division: Baye Beauford – 863 lionfish

■ Third place Recreational Division: Helen Rodney – 800 lionfish

Commercial Champion (First place Commercial Division):

■ Paul DeCuir – 1,092 pounds of lionfish

■ Second place Commercial Division: Alex Fogg – 1,090 pounds of lionfish

■ Third place Commercial Division: Isidoro Bedoya – 1,008 pounds of lionfish

The 2022 Lionfish Challenge was sponsored by FloGrown, Florida-based fishing, and outdoor apparel company.

FloGrown designed, printed, and donated custom tournament T-shirts that were awarded to all participants who reached the first prize tier of the tournament.

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