Emerald Coast Open: Lionfish Invasive Species Removal + Data Collection

2019 to Present

Partners: Dozens of event sponsors and partners

The Emerald Coast Open, the world’s largest lionfish tournament, combines invasive species control with structured data collection on lionfish size, effort and abundance across the region’s artificial reef system. Divers compete in a pre-tournament period (February through mid-May) followed by a two-day main tournament, with every fish measured, weighed, and logged at the event on Destin Harbor.

Since its founding in 2019, the tournament has removed tens of thousands of lionfish annually, with totals including 20,512 in 2026, 20,512 in 2025, 24,699 in the 2023 record year, and 13,800–20,000 in earlier years. Because lionfish are venomous, reproduce rapidly, and have few natural predators in the Gulf, removal by divers using spears remains the most effective control method available. Beyond its conservation impact, the tournament has become a significant economic and tourism draw, paired with a Lionfish Festival and a Restaurant Week culinary competition that engages the local business community. Destin-Fort Walton Beach Natural Resources Team manages tournament logistics and data collection each year.

Research Publications:
– Cutaneous ulcerative lesions of unknown etiology affecting lionfish Pterois spp. in the Gulf of Mexico

– Lessons From the Western Atlantic Lionfish Invasion to Inform Management in the Mediterranean

– Precipitous Declines in Northern Gulf of Mexico Invasive Lionfish Populations Following the Emergence of an Ulcerative Skin Disease

– The Rise of Northern Gulf of Mexico Lionfish Derbies: How Do They Compare?

– The Role of Citizen Science in the Research and Management of Invasive Lionfish across the Western Atlantic