Chasing lionfish in fed waters

Northwest Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz is drafting legislation to expand a state program which will allow spear fishermen to collect invasive lionfish into federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A state program rewards people who collect large numbers of lionfish with tags, thereby allowing them to catch more red grouper or cobia beyond mandated limits. Lionfish can’t be caught with rod-and-reel. The way to remove them is through spearfishing, which is expensive and labor intensive. Lionfish have 18 venomous spines. They are not native to Florida; and have no natural predator. They feed off native fish like grouper, snapper and shrimp. A statewide lionfish removal and awareness challenge will run from May 20 through Sept. 4. Pensacola will hold its annual lionfish tournament May 20-21. (Source: Pensacola News Journal 04/26/17)