Lionfish Update: Latest on the Menace of Florida Reefs

Controlling invasive lionfish has become part of the day-to-day for Florida divers.

August 20, 2025 By John Christopher Fine

"The next lionfish derby will be in August. Our prizes today will be for the most lionfish caught, the biggest and a prize for the smallest. Last time the smallest was one inch and three-eighths,” Rick Ratliff laughed. Rick is one of the owners of The Kyalami Scuba Club. Divers aboard their bright red dive boat were gearing up for dedicated dives offering prizes for spearing an invasive species that voraciously gobbles up juvenile reef fish.

Florida is home to many invasive species of flora and fauna. Pythons and anacondas have been released in the Everglades, saltwater aquarists have dumped unwanted fish into the ocean, people have planted melaleuca and other non-native plants. It is supposed that around 1988, lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Oceans, were released into the Atlantic Ocean by ships dumping ballast water after coming through the Panama Canal. Aquarists getting rid of them, once they discovered that these beautiful fish gobble up everything else in their tanks, also contributed to the dilemma. Lionfish were expensive to buy in hobby stores costing $50 and more. They are beautiful fish with long feathery spines, exotic brown, brick-red and white stripe; they seem to float suspended in the water column.

Spines concealed inside their feathery appendages—13 on the dorsal fin, two on each pelvic fin and one on the anal fin—produce a toxin that can be deadly or at the very least cause a painful sting. Nothing around the Florida coast eats them naturally. Lionfish have no natural predators although divers have begun teaching nurse sharks and, in some cases, moray eels to eat them. Lionfish are not natural food for either ocean hunter.

Two photos of a diver with a speared lionfish. — Spear-and-stash: Kyalami Divemaster Erick Morgan with lionfish hunting gear. Sturdy gloves, a trident pole spear and Zoo Keeper plastic container with baffles so the speared fish can be stuffed in while still on the spear and the spear then pulled out. That way lionfish venomous spines do not contact diver. In the early past, divers got stung handling lionfish. Spines penetrate gloves and wetsuits thus mesh bags are not suitable. Some armored catch bags were tried but most hunters prefer the plastic keepers. On shore, surgical shears are used to cut off venomous spines. Dead or alive, the spines can inflict their venom.

The Lionfish Takeover

Once a population of lionfish has taken over a reef, there is marked decline in other reef fish. Dissection has shown as many as a dozen juvenile reef fish inside a lionfish stomach. They reproduce quickly and have adapted to life on Florida’s reefs.

Ratliff and Shaun Gallant along with their divemasters and instructors encourage lionfish hunting aboard their two dive vessels. Kyalami operates out of Square Grouper Marina in Jupiter and Kyalami Too from Riviera Beach Marina. Lionfish are relatively small; a large one would weigh in at about a pound. Until divers began spearing them they would simply lounge about a reef waiting for prey to happen by then gobble the small fish down with fast surges and a big open mouth. After years of spearfishing, lionfish have become wary of divers and often flee under ledges and crevices in reefs to hide.

Two species have been prevalent, Pterois volitans and Pterois radiata. Beautiful to look at and photograph, lionfish have gotten out of control devouring so many juveniles that the natural balance on many reefs shifted in favor of these predators.

“They are delicious. White flesh that I think is better tasting than hogfish even mahi mahi,” Kyalami divemaster Erick Morgan said. He led dives on the recent lionfish hunt on a reef aptly called Mane Drop. “For lion’s mane,” Erick said, provoking laughter during his briefing aboard Kyalami.

Since lionfish spines are venomous, divers spear them with pronged trident spears and shove the fish into cylindrical containers that have a no-return cap with plastic baffles. No catch bag is adequate to protect from venomous spines, thus clear plastic keepers are used.

Diver on deck of boat with container of lionfish. — Diver off Palm Beach with lionfish. They’re great eating.

Target on Lionfish

Reefs chosen for the hunt were in about 80 feet of water. Captain Zack Zubek chose sites he figured would be good hunting where lionfish abounded. Kyalami divers on more frequented reefs have controlled populations so that few are seen during most dives.

The catch was good, enthusiasm prevailed as divers returned aboard with their prizes hoping to claim reward once the catch was landed ashore, fish measured and counted. Florida allows unlimited hunting lionfish to rid them from reefs. The fact that filets have proved popular and tasty food, even served in restaurants with big price tags, adds to the incentive to spear them. Lionfish do not respond to anglers using hooks and bait. Divers remain the best solution to culling these invasive fish.

Lionfish stings can only be treated with scalding hot water that breaks down the venom. Usual application of vinegar that relieves jellyfish stings does not work with lionfish. A diver stung experiences excruciating pain with swelling. Occasionally hospitalization is required and if a person is allergic, the sting can cause serious complications.

Kyalami divers returned with their catch, counted and measured, exchanged excited conversation, received prizes and did a good turn for ocean conservation. Those that prepared fillets of lionfish also enjoyed a good meal.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Tenth Anniversary 2025 Lionfish Challenge runs through September 14. Every registered recreational participant who collects 25 lionfish tails and every registered commercial participant who collects 50 pounds of lionfish receives the 10-year anniversary commemorative challenge coin. Registration is currently open; a link can be found on the FWC’s Reef Rangers website: fwcreefrangers.com. This free summer-long tournament, which beganMay 24, invites participants of all ages around the state to compete for prizes by removing invasive lionfish from Florida waters. The FWC’s 2024 Lionfish Challenge had 269 participants who harvested a total of 31,774 lionfish from Florida waters.