- You get mixed emotions
when you're out there hunting the lionfish.
A feeling of accomplishment
because you're actually making a difference,
a feeling of competitiveness because of the fact
that, in my case, I'm trying to be Florida's Lionfish King.
Lionfish are a non-native species to the Atlantic,
the Gulf and the Caribbean.
Because they reproduce at such a high rate
and have zero predators,
they are currently taking over the waters here.
Lionfish eat basically everything that we eat,
which includes crabs, lobsters, grouper, flounder,
anything, you name it, they're game.
The scary part is, is that we don't know how many
of them are out there, and it's probably a lot bigger
than we ever will know because of the fact
that we always dive the public spots
or the private fishermen spots,
but, I mean, the ocean is huge.
(water splashing)
The Lionfish Challenge is a contest set up
for those of us that are making a difference to go out
and kill as many lionfish as we can
over the next four months.
(upbeat electronic music)
Not every person is a big fan of spearfishing,
but the problem that we have with the lionfish,
these things need to be eliminated, every one of them,
and whether you're a big fan of it or not,
this is just not about spearfishing.
It's about taking care of our ecosystem
and making sure that everything stays balanced.
(instrumental reggae music)
Being crowned the Lionfish King
will be a huge accomplishment, but it's not just about that.
The next weekend, I'll probably go out
and do the same thing again
even though the competition is over.
(instrumental reggae music)