On Saturday, October 5th, Reef Adventures hosted its annual Lionfish Tournament at the Palapa Bar Dock. The event began at 7AM as participating boats set out to capture lionfish. After a day at sea, the teams returned at 4PM with iceboxes full of lionfish to weigh and count. Six teams participated in this year’s competition: Team Carma, Elite Divers, Chingon, Plentyfulltoo, Amigos del Mar, and Bossgial. Team Carma emerged as the winner, capturing 446 lionfish and claiming the top prize of $5,000. Team Elite secured second place by capturing 389 lionfish and earning $2,000 while also capturing the largest lionfish, measuring fourteen and three-fourth inches. Team Chingon clinched 3rd place with 241 lionfish, securing a total cash prize of $1,500 BZ. The total number of lionfish all teams captured was 1320!
The annual tournament raises awareness about the invasive lionfish species, which poses a significant threat to the marine ecosystem. Lionfish are native to coral reefs in the tropical waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. The first lionfish in USA waters was sighted off the coast of Florida in 1985, believed to have been released from an aquarium. Since then, the lionfish population has spread across the wider Caribbean region, including the Gulf of Mexico, posing a pervasive threat to marine ecosystems and coastal fishing communities.
Lionfish were first documented in Belize in 2008 and have since become firmly established within the country’s marine environment. To control their population, residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in activities aimed at culling and consuming lionfish. The event organizers express their gratitude to all sponsors, including Reef Adventures, X-Box, Sun Valley Auto Trader J. Bookwalter, and the US Saloon Mining Company.
Looking ahead, the organizers eagerly anticipate hosting the competition once again in October 2025. They thank everyone who participated in this year’s event and congratulate team Carma for their impressive performance.
