The REEF Conservation Challenge is a way to earn stickers while participating in REEF programs. This month, in honor of the 13th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival, we're highlighting the Invasive Species Challenge. There are several ways to complete this challenge and earn the accompanying sticker, and one way is to participate in a REEF Lionfish Derby. If you're in the Florida Keys or South Florida, check out the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival this weekend in Islamorada. You can compete in the derby by registering a team here or simply attend the festival at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina on Sunday, Sept. 11.
You can also earn this sticker by attending a REEF Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshop. Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshops include a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on practice with lionfish gear, and a field-based portion where we head out on the water to collect lionfish.
Have you see an invasive lionfish in the wild? Another way to complete this challenge is to document your lionfish sighting by submitting a report to REEF. Submit your lionfish sighting here - you can also submit reports of other non-native or exotic species! If you've seen a native predator species interact with an invasive lionfish (for example, you see a shark, eel, or grouper eating a lionfish), you can also submit a report of the interaction here.
For more information about the Conservation Challenge and details about other stickers you can add to your collection, visit www.REEF.org/conservationchallenge.